Bringing Back The Past
by fairiehearts
Summary: When Takuya and Co. recieve a message from a familiar friend, they return to the digiworld 1 year later to find out there's a new evil they'll have to face. Not to mention meeting a peculiar young boy named Tai with something to hide.
1. Message From A Friend

**The following takes place a year after the Digidestined from Frontier (Takuya, Koji, Koichi, JP, Tommy, and Zoe)**

Ch. 1 Message from a friend

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Ta-ku-ya!!" Zoe called as he entered her apartment. The rest of the digidestined smiled as he put on a surprised look.

"Wh-what?!" He said.

"Takuya! It's your birthday isn't it?" The girl asked him suspiciously.

"Uhh… yeah I guess it is."

"Well then, lets eat!" JP cheered excitedly. As he ran off to the table of snacks in the kitchen. In the blink of an eye he returned with three bags of chips and a supersized pop.

They all cracked up laughing. JP blinked twice, confused with his face full of crumbs. Takuya crashed on the couch in between the twins. "So what've you guys been up to?" Takuya asked.

"Nothing much..." Koji said distantly, staring out at space.

"Come on! Don't be so moody. Its my birthday after all!" Takuya said.

"Koji, be nice," Kouiji told his brother, attempting to persuade him.

"Takuya, surprise!" Tommy entered the room with a large strawberry cake. "Here you go just for you!" he said with a gleeming smile.

Takuya cut the case and passed it around to everyone.

"Mmmm... Bellisimo!" Zoe exclaimed, delighted in the confection.

The party went on, everyone laughing and enjoying each others company. The day wore on and it was getting late.

* yawn * "It's getting late," Takuya said as the clock was striking near midnight. "Tommy, I'll walk you home."

"Okay" the boy said sheepily

"Thanks everyone for the party!!" Takuya said in a chipper voice.

"Wait," Zoe announced, "We still haven't given you your birthday present."

"Oh you didn't have to ..." He said anticipating what the present would be.

"Close your eyes" He did as the other digidestined began shuffling around the room.

"Okay you can open your eyes now," An excited JP told him. Takuya opened his eyes and was surprised. On the coffee table there was a small statuette of Agunimon. This brought back memories of their adventures that felt like so long ago.

"Wow," was all Takuya could say, he was breathless.

Koichi picked up the figurine and placed it in the boy with the goggles' hands. "It took a while but we finished it just in time." He said with a smiling face.

The figurine was so lifelike, it felt as though it was the real Agunimon. Takuya began to tear up a little. "Thanks guys," he said.

"I'm glad you like it" Koji told him, giving him a wink.

"Just don't lose it now" Zoe warned.

"Takuya, let's go now, Mommy's going to get mad." Tommy said half asleep.

"Okay okay." Just as he puts on his shoes his phone begins to beep. "Hold on a sec, let me get that." He picks up his cell phone and answers, "Hello?"

"D-ddiggidestttinedd..." called out a familiar female voice.

"What the? Ophanimon?" Everyone jumped as they heard the name and rushed towards Takuya. Takuya thus turned on the speaker.

"... we need your help... the fate of the worlds rely on you..." Ophanimon told them her voice getting static.

"But how... how do we get to the digital world?" Koji asked gravely concerned.

"The train station... a trailmon will be waiting.... there...." The line cut off.

"We've got to go." Everyone agreed without hesitation. They raced out of Zoe's apartment and ran towards the station. It was dark outside so they snuck around so they would not come across any guards. They took the elevator down to the floor. This reminded them so much of the past. When they reached the floor, Angler the Trailmon was waiting for them on the platform.

"Oh, hi children, long time no see!" He said cheerfully.

"Wow, nice seeing you again," JP said grinning as he tossed him a chocolate bar.

"Mmm.. my favorite! Hop on." The digidestined obediently entered one of the trains and the trailmon sped off.

Koichi sighed in relief. Koji noticed and commented, "This is your first time physically being in the digital world, isn't it?"

Koichi nodded to his younger twin, "Yeah, but I was really there before, I remember everything from before."

The ground began to shake below them as they headed towards a dark tunnel. The lights went out. The suddenly a dim lighting appears. The Human Spirits of the Legendary Warriors appeared. The Digidestined were at first startled but then felt the calm warmth that their former spirits emitted.

"Digidestined," Loweemon was the first to speak.

"There is a crisis in the digital world right now," Then Lobomon.

"Please borrow our strength and help defeat the evil causing the disturbance," Kazemon pleaded.

"We cannot do this alone," Agunimon finished. Beetlemon, Kumamon, Grumblemon, Ranamon, Arbormon, and Mercurymon nodded in agreement.

"We will be with you" The spirits said at once they turned into light and were absorbed by the digidestined. Their hearts began to glow, and suddenly, each and everyone of their cellphones were replaced by D-Tector digivices.

Takuya smiled, "Alright, we're heading back. What an awesome present."

"I wonder," Koji mutters.

-------------------

When they arrived at their destination two familiar faces greeted the digidestined.

"Hello hello," Bokomon said grinning from ear to ear. Neemon however rushed towards them and jumped up to hug them all, though he hugged Tommy first. He started to bawl his eyes out.

"I've missed you guys!!!" Neemon cried. Bokomon couldn't stay still anymore and jumped up as well, hugging Zoe dearly. He too was crying.

"Stop it guys, you're gonna make me cry," Tommy said, eyes glistening. The moment of reunion passed and everyone tried to straighten up.

"Bokomon," JP began, "What's happening in the digiworld?? What's the trouble."

"Trouble?" Bokomon was confused, "What do you mean?" The digidestined were confused.

"That's odd, we were sure that you would know something about it." Takuya commented.

Koichi senses something and looks out to the forest. A large fire ball rockets towards them. He pushes everyone out of the way as they nearly escape impact. Takuya recovers quickly and sees a skeletal dinosaur appear before them.

"Whats that thing?" Neemon asked Bokomon.

"Oh My... That is SkullGreymon! He's an Ultimate digimon with one mean rocket." Bokomon gasped, being rather fearful.

"I'll Handle this with my own Greymon," Takuya claims. Like he had been doing this yesterday he called out his fractal code. "Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution!" Takuya transforms into "BurningGreymon!"

"Heh," Koji says unimpressed. BurningGreymon attacked SkullGreymon with his PyroBarrage. SkullGreymon gets hit and retaliates with his Dark Shot. BurningGreymon falls.

"Takuya!" Zoe cried out.

"I'm alright. Just a little scratch." BurningGreymon returns to battle and successfully attacks SkullGreymon with another PyroBarrage. This time the attack prove effective and SkullGreymon falls. His fractal code appears. "Easy Peasy," BurningGreymon takes out his D-Tector and is about to get the fractal code when he hears a loud scream.

"STTTOOOOPPPP!" Cries the voice. Everyone turns to where the voice came from and sees a young boy with spiky brown hair emerge from the forest. His goggles gleamed on his forehead and he looked no older than six or seven.

"Jeez kid, what do you think you're doing!" BurningGreymon shouts.

The child glares right back at the Legendary Warrior. "Don't you dare hurt him anymore!"

"Or what kid!? That digimon is dangerous."

"HE IS NOT!" The kid stubbornly says. The boy turns to the feinted digimon. "I'm sorry" he cries, "I didn't mean to leave you like this." Tears streamed from the boy's eyes as the digimon began to glow. EmperorGreymon reverted back to Takuya as they watched SkullGreymon dedigivolved to a pink little ball with ears... Koromon. The little boy reached out and held Koromon in his hands and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry Koromon."

Koromon weakly opened his own eyes, "It's okay, it's not your fault." The little pink ball rested in the boy's arms as the boy turned to the digidestined.

"So you're digidestined? Are you not?" He said without hesitation.

"And if we are?" JP asked him.

The boy scanned each person thoroughly. "Hmmph, where are you're digimon partners? I mean that Bokomon and Neemon cannot all be shared by you six. And where was that BurningGreymon who fought Koromon earlier?"

"What do you mean?" Koichi queried a little confused.

"Well if you are digidestined then you must all have digimon partners. Am I wrong?"

"Well kinda," Takuya said, "Actually I am BurningGreymon. You see we all don't have digimon partners, rather we become the digimon. Cool ain't it kid?"

"Hmmm... interesting," the boy thought to himself.

Zoe walked up to the boy in a motherly fashion. She knelt down so her face could meet with the boy. "Hello, my name's Zoe." Then she pointed out to each of the digidestined, "That guy in the orange cap is Tommy, He's JP and those twins over there are Koji and Koichi. Koji's the one with the bandana. Oh and that hot head over there, he's Takuya. And who might you be?"

The boy looked at each of their faces. They did not seem to be lying. "My name? Well I'm Taichi Kamiya, but you all can just call me Tai." He said with a grin. "Nice to meet fellow digidestined."

"So you're a digidestined too huh..." Tommy said happily.

"Yep. I'm one of the original digidestined from Japan, and this here's my partner Koromon." Tai began to lighten up a bit.

"Pleasure to meet you Buddee" Takuya said.

"I'm just wondering," Koji became serious, "Why did your SkullGreymon attack us. If Koichi hadn't have been there, we would have been caught in the impact for sure."

"Well..." Tai began as he strained to speak, "The thing is, I don't know. I somehow arrived to the digital world in this form and saw Agumon..."

"Wait, what do you mean 'in this form'?" Koichi asked.

"Well, I'm not really six years old," Tai sighed, "I haven't been six in such a long time. I'm much older you know. I told you I was one of the original digidestined."

"Old? How old?" JP wondered.

"I'm not going to tell you," Tai said a bit embarrassed, "Anyway as I said I came here somehow and saw Agumon, which is the rookie form of Koromon. And well we started wandering the forest when suddenly something attacked us. And all of a sudden Agumon digivolved into SkullGreymon and went beserk." Tai clenched his fist. His voice began to waver, "I swore... I swore to Agumon that I would never let him suffer digivolving the wrong way ever again... and now this."

Koromon jumped out of Tai's arms and faced him, "Tai, I told you it wasn't your fault. It was that thing that attacked us."

"I wonder what that thing was," Bokomon pondered.

"I don't know but it sure felt evil," Tai said tensely.

"Maybe it was a ghost." Neemon suggested.

"Either way, I think this was the thing that Ophanimon sent us to fight against," Koji commented. Koichi nodded in agreement.

Suddenly Ophanimon's signal began to play on their D-Tectors, "Digidestined, we need you're help." Ophanimon began. "You must save... worl... collect...keys....hurry...be....late..." The connection fell through.

"What is wrong with this connection." Takuya said angrily.

"Calm down kid." Tai told him.

"Kid? What you're the pint sized brat here." Takuya slashed back.

Zoe tried to break up the situation before it heated up. "Calm down you two. I think what Ophanimon was trying to say was to collect some sort of keys and with them we can save the world or something."

Tai's eyes widened. "Keys?" He pulled out something from his pocket. "Do you mean this?" He opened his palm to reveal a golden key with the symbol of a sun on it."

"That must be it!" Takuya said attempting to grab the key. But when he did the key burnt through his gloves and he dropped it on the ground. "OUCH" He screamed in pain.

Tai picked the key up again and stared at Takuya "You're EmperorGreymon yet you can't pick up something that's hot? Anyway it feels normal to me."

"Koji why don't you try it?" Takuya suggested sucking on his fingers to relive them from the burn. Koji reached out and without even touching it, could feel the heat emitting from it.

"I can't even touch it, let alone hold it." Koji sighed.

"Huh... I guess, I'm supposed to keep hold of it then. Makes sense," Tai said as he returned the key to his pocket.

"What do you mean it makes sense?" Takuya queried.

"Well the symbol on the key is the Crest of Courage. And the Crest of Courage can only really belong to me." Tai said a little smuggly.

"What was that?" Takuya grabbed Tai's collar.

"Takuya put him down!" Tommy pleaded. Takuya submitted.

"If you let me explain," Tai said a little annoyed, "Back when I was a kid, my friends and I were chosen to be bearers of special crests. Courage, Friendship, Love, Sincerity, Knowledge, Reliability, Hope, and Light. We were the original eight digidestined who held on to these crests and with them we were ultimately able to defeat our greatest enemies. And I of course was the bearer of Courage."

"Interesting..." Koichi commented.

"If this is really the crest of Courage and my assumptions are correct, there should be at least seven more keys like this." Tai presumed.

"Okay so that means that we need to find those seven keys to unlock something in order to save the world." Takuya ssaid. "Alright let's go look for them!"

"But how are we going to do that? We have no clue where to find them." A beeping sound came from Tai's pocket. He took out a small round device with dots beeping on the screen.

"What's that Tai?" Tommy wondered.

"This? This is my digivice of course." Tai said unsurprised

"Really? That's small! Look at ours!" Tommy showed the boy his.

"Hmmm... that looks a little like my sister's digivice." He paused. "My digivice is picking up something north from here. It looks like it's another digivice or something, maybe one of my friends are here too." Tai turned to the other digidestined. "If you guys wanna come with me, be my guest. I'm thinking that if one of my friends are here then they might have one of the keys you all are looking for."

The digidestined excluding Tai coversed with one another.

"Should we trust him?" JP asked

"I think we can." Zoe commented

"But he came from nowhere, who knows what his true intentions are." Koji said

"But he told us himself that he's a digidestined like us," Koichi announced.

"Yeah and he doesn't look like a bad kid." Tommy exclaimed

"I say we go. At least he has some kind of lead." Takuya said. The rest submitted to his will and he turned to Tai, "Okay, Tai we'll help you find your friends."

Tai smiled, "Thanks guys"

The digidestined walked off into the north path following Tai's digivice to the GPS guided signal...

**HEY Everyone! Glad to be back and writing again. This time the setting is Digimon Frontier with a little twist. I hope you all enjoy the coming chapters and I can't wait to hear whhat you guys think. Stay tuned for the next Chapter peace!**


	2. To Fight A Friend

**Alright chapter 2 =) Hope you enjoy**

Chapter 2: To Fight a Friend

"So Tai..." Zoe began. Tai was busy leading the way following the GPS on his digivice.

"Yes?" He mumbled.

"I think you're so adorable...Carino!!" Zoe squealed.

"Ugghh... jeez Zoe of course he's cute! He's like six!" Takuya whined.

"I told you, I'm not really six!" Tai said quite annoyed with the rambanctious group.

"Well if your not six, why are you so tiny?" Neemon asked

"You're smaller than me!" Tai shot back, "Anyway, like I said, one minute I was in the real world then the next minute I'm back to a six year old kid here in the digital world. Speaking of which... the digital world seems a lot different from back then..."

"When did you first come to the digital world?" Koichi asked curiously.

"Well let's see, it was that summer when I went to summer camp with my friends. So I was about ten or eleven.... I'm guessing I was about your age then."

"Well I'm only nine..." Tommy sighed

"No worries, my sister and my best friends brother were around your age back then too." Tai reminised. He chuckled a bit. "You remind me a lot of TK back when he was eight. He was a crybaby, wore a hat, and all... he was so innocent. Yet he was also really brave when it came down to it. He was probably one of the strongest among us digidestined."

Tommy`s eyes opened wide, "Really?"

"Mhmm," Tai replied with a nod, "Ahh here's where the signal's coming from."

Everyone looked up to find a giant gate blocking the path.

"That thing's monstrous," Takuya yelled in amazement.

"Look over there," Koichi pointed to some scribble on the wall. "Can anyone read this?"

"Stand back digidestined, I can," Bokomon told them proudly. He went over to the writing and began scanning through it, "Hmmm... ooh.... okay... yes."

"So what does it say?" JP wondered.

"Hmm... apparantly it tells of a prophecy concerning the Legendary Warriors." Bokomon started, "Well it says in this text:

"The skies will grey across the land  
and volcanoes will flash at once  
The oceans will roar in rage  
And the earth will rumble in crack

he who old has struck once from the earth  
will rise again  
but this time he will be triumphant  
And this time he will reign

Less...

Fire, wind, earth, water  
steel, thunder, wood, ice  
darkness, and light

From the depths of the beyond will return  
before the final judgement nears  
eight and ten will merge  
And save them from the hour at hand"

The digidestined stared at Bokomon very confused.

"I... don't... get... it" JP announced after a long awkward silence.

"What's not to get, I think it's clear as day," Tai commented, the only one unfazed by the profecy.

"Huh... what do you mean?" Takuya wondered

"Well basically there will be an evil that will rise again, probably someone that we have seen before, either me or you guys, I mean. And basically he will win unless you Legendary Warriors join forces with us the Original Eight Digidestined. And by join forces I'm guess you guys are the ones that will have to collect the eight keys which will represent my old team. Once they're collected the keys must unlock special powers and with those special powers or items or whatever you all can win against that evil."

The Frontier digidestined stared shocked at the little boy.

"Woah..." Koji was breathless.

"You got all that..."Zoe started

"From that cryptic message," Takuya finished, having his jaw fall to the ground.

Tai shrugged, "When Bokomon started reading it, it was like a movie started playing in my head about what it was all about."

"You are one strange kid Tai," Takuya sighed.

"I told you I'm not a kid!" Tai lashed back at the leader.

"Well whatever..." Takuya decided to change the subject, "Well where do you think we should find where the signal was..."

"Well Tai said it came from somewhere over here..." Tommy concluded.

JP moved towards the wall. "Maybe there's a secret switch somewhere here that will open a secret door to a secret room, where we'll find a key."

"Don't be ridiculus JP there's no way..." Zoe stopped as JP found a hidden button on the wall which just so happened to open a gate. She groaned admitting defeat.

"Hurry up Zoe!" Takuya called out to her. The rest of the digidestined were already through the door.

"Coming..." She sighed.

As they entered through the room, it was though they entered a teleporter for the other side was very different from the forests they came from. The land was barren. It was a desert. The sun beat down on them furiously.

"Hey I have a signal again!" Tai said happily. They headed to the east with no end to the desert in sight.

"Argghh... where is that stupid key!" Takuya whined, exhausted from the heat.

"Just a couple more feet.. and we'll hit it in 3...2...1..." An explosion errupted from the sand as a creature emerged from below. "... it can't be!" Tai was shocked.

"What is that thing?" Neemon queried.

"... that my dear friend is..." Bokomon was interrupted by Tai

"Flamedramon..." Tai finished.

"Flamedramon?" The digidestined all said at once.

"Koromon?" Tai asked his partner and his partner nodded. Koromon jumped from Tai's arm and the kid pointed out his digivice.

"Koromon digivolve to... AGUMON! Agumon digivolve to... GREYMON! Nova Blast!" The giant dinosaur breathed out a large fireball aimed right for the blue dino with fiery armour. Flamedramon was hit but recovered quickly.

"Fire Rocket," the opponent fired his attack

"Tai, how do you know what that thing is?" Zoe asked worried.

"That digimon belongs to one of my friends," Tai answered gritting his teeth.

"Your... friend?" Takuya repeated

"Then why the hell are you attacking it?" JP was outraged.

"Can't you see?" Tai pointed to Flamedramon's neck. A black tattoo was found on the back side of his neck slowly stretching down to his shoulder. "That tattoo's controlling him!"

The others saw the tattoo and were convinced. It reeked of evil.

"Well are you guys just going to stand there?" Tai warned. Greymon was losing. It seemed as though the tattoo was increasing Flamedramon's power ten-fold.

"Alright," Koji stepped forward, "Execute! Spirit Evolution! Lobomon! Howling Laser!" The laser fired straight at Flamedramon and hit him. "I got your back Greymon," Lobomon called to him

"Thanks!" Greymon said as he stood up. Greymon and Lobomon continued their tagteam pursuit.

"Aim for the neck guys!" Tai directed them

"Nova Blast!" "Howling Laser!" the impact of the twin attacks knocked the blue dinosaur down. As he fell the tattoo was destroyed. Fractal Code appeared around him.

"Time to take out the trash! Fractal Code Di-" Lobomon was about to prepare to extract the data

"Will you guys stop doing that!?" Tai screeched. He ran towards the unconscious Flamedramon who was reverting into a tinier blue dinosaur.

Greymon too de-digivolved to Agumon and ran to the unconscious digimon "Veemon are you alright?"

Veemon opened his eyes slowly "Wh-what am I doing here?" he looked around, "Agumon? Is that you? Davis?"

"Dummy" Tai smacked him on the head, "Do I look like Davis to you?

"Well you do have the goggles and the brown hair, but you sure are short for Davis."

"Because I'm not Veemon. I'm Tai!" he said with a chuckle.

"Tai?" Veemon bolted up, "But how... why... huh?"

"I don't know either. I just woke up in the digiworld like a six year old boy."

"Really?" Veemon looked awefully confused. He saw the other digidestined. "Who are you guys?"

The other digidestined hesitated to walk towards him until Tai motioned that it was alright. "Guys, you don't need to be cautious. This is Veemon."

Lobomon reverted back to Koji and was the first to make a move. "Hi I'm Koji" he said giving out his hand the the blue dinosaur.

"WOW! How did you do that?" Veemon said shaking his hand.

"Oh, that? Well I can become a digimon. All of us can actually." He smiled as he introduced his friends. "Takuya. Koichi. Tommy. Zoe. JP. Bokomon. And last but not least Neemon."

"Nice to meet you all! I'm Veemon... I can digivolve to all sorts of armour digimon... but I don't think I can become human... that would be so cool though!" Veemon said fascinated. Everyone laughed at his thought path.

"Oh, Veemon," Koichi began, "Do you by any chance remember what happened to you?"

Veemon shook his head, "Not in the slightest. But I do remember craving barbeque though."

"That's odd. If it was you that gave out the signal, there must be a digivice or something nearby." Tai concluded.

"Do you think Davis is around?" Veemon wondered.

"No I don't think so," Tai was in deep thought.

"then... do you happen to have a key with you?" Tommy asked him.

"A key? Nuh-uh."

"Oh well, worth a shot." Bokomon sighed. Suddenly there was a grumbling sound.

"What's that?" Koji was on high alert. "Another Digimon?"

"No..." Veemon sighed, "It was just me... I'm starving." Everyone started to laugh again.

_This is all to odd_ Tai thought to himself. His pocket began to vibrate, and he looked and saw another signal.

"Well I guess we better get going." Tai said indicating to everyone the new lead.

"Well are you just going to leave me alone then?" Veemon said sadly.

"Of course not, buddee" Takuya annouced.

"Come along!" JP agreed

"Any friend of Tai's is a friend of ours!" Tommy commented

"Bellisimo!" Zoe called out. The twins nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well I hear no objections," Agumon cheerfully said, happy his friend could come.

"GREAT!" Veemon cheereed.

The whole gang thus went off together to the next adventure.

**Alrighty! Chapter 2. A prophecy. And a new companion. What's going to happen next I wonder? Find out next on Chapter 3. See You Soon =)**


	3. The Key of Friendship

**K sorry I haven't updated yet. I had finals right so I've been busy lol. BUT now I'm finally free and in Summer mode =D**

Chapter 3 The Key of Friendship

"Dum deedle dum deedle dum deedle dee" sang a figure in the shadows. It was short and beastlike in appearance. The figure walked up to a cliff with a familiar symbol embedded across the top of the cliff. There was a secret button hidden in the bottom at about average human height. The figure reached up and pressed the button. Suddenly the cliff began to split in two, right down the middle of the symbol. It entered the crack and walked down the until it reached a dead end. The figure put its hand on the wall and a glow surrounded it. Then a piece the size of a brick pushed itself out of the wall. The brick was in fact a chest. Cheerfully, the figure in the shadows finished his tune, "Dum deedle dum deedle dum deedle dee, this key of friendship I will have thee."

"Tai!" Veemon cried out.

"What Veemon?" Tai snapped, it was the twentieth time that morning that Veemon called out his name.

"I'm starving can we stop by somewhere and grab a bite to eat." Everyone excluding Veemon, Agumon and Neemon groaned aloud. The group was on a train to the location which Tai's digivice reacted to.

Outside, they were able to tell that they were crossing a large canyon.

"There's no point Veemon, there's nowhere outside to eat," JP groaned, obviously hungry as well.

"What happened to the limitless supply of chocolate bars you used to keep?" Takuya asked.

"Ummm... well I only have three bars left. Who knows when we're done with this mission..." Veemon began to stare at JP with puppydog eyes. "No way, I'm not giving you a single piece."

"How cruel!" Veemon began to mope.

Koji quite annoyed stood up and headed for the door.

Koichi noticed as well as Tai. "Where are you going?" Koichi asked his brother.

"For a walk. It's too noisy here," he replied rather coldly.

"Then I'll come too." Koichi said standing up as well.

"No, you don't have to," he tried to say as sympathetically as possible and with that he dissappeared into the next cabin.

"Bu-" Koichi was about to go after him when Tai stopped him. In the background the rest of the group was arguing about the chocolate bars and did not notice Koji leave.

"Don't go," Tai said intently.

"But Koji is..."

"Its fine Koichi, let him be. I can tell that he can be a bit cold sometimes and a bit arrogant. He can be selfish and such too..." Tai explained

"Bu-"

"But he also cares for you," Tai interjected once more, surprising Koichi a bit. "You and the rest of your friends. He doesn't show it too often but he let all of you into his life. He'd probably risk his life to protect you Koichi."

Koichi clenched his fist a bit, "but it really should be me that should protect Koji. I'm the older brother so I should support him when he's down too."

Tai put on a sincere smile, "Yeah, we big brothers are all like that aren't we."

"Oh right you have a little sister..." Koichi realized.

"Yeah," Tai stared into the distance, as though he was looking in his own past. "But there came a time when I had to let go and let her protect herself. She grew up... and I know I left her in the right hands. But I'd still like to watch over her sometimes, I can't help it."

Koichi smiled, "That must be nice..." then his smile turned, "But the thing is I'm not ready yet. I mean I only just met him last year, I only just got to know him better and got to spend time with him. I'm barely a big brother as it is. I mean last time around it felt like he was the one protecting me."

"You only just met?" Tai was confused as Koichi nodded. "But you two can't be step-brothers." Koichi shook his head, "You two are so alike I'd say you were twins."

"We are actually." Koichi explained. "When we were too young to remember, our parents divorced and the each took one of us, I went with my mom and Koji went to live with our father. We actually finally met each other in the digiworld."

"Ahh that's pretty cool." Tai said interested in the story. "You know what?"

"What?" Koichi wondered.

"Koji sounds exactly like my best friend."

"Your best friend?"

"Yep. His name's Matt. Actually by the sounds of it Koji could be an exact double of Matt. You see Matt and TK are also from a divorced family and Matt went to live with his dad while TK went off to live with his mom. Matt was also a bit cold and self-centered, especially when we were little. But in fact he cared deeply for all of us and protected TK to a tee." Tai then pulled out the key of courage from his pocket and lifted it up to the light for a better look.

"You said the symbol on that thing meant courage right?" Koichi said as he stared at the key

"Yes. Courage. That was my crest," Tai reminisced, "But Matt's crest, oh Matt was Friendship."

"Friend...ship..." Koichi repeated.

"Yep, Matt's greatest attribute is his dedication to his friends." Tai chuckled like an old man. "I think you and Koji might have that within you too."

"I guess you're right," Koichi said, "Wait a second I feel like we changed topics some how..."

"We did?" Tai said blankly then laughed, "Maybe, what were we talking about before?"

"Huh... I guess nothing." Suddenly the train stopped hard and there was a loud bang. At that moment Koji stumbled back into the room, injured. "KOJI!" Koichi shouted as he rushed to his brother's side. Everyone else Koji and rushed to him too.

"Too... strong..." Koji managed to cough out. His fractal code began to appear and disappear as a loud howl could be heard from the direction Koji came from.

"What was that?" Zoe demanded to know.

"I know that howl..." Tai realized.

"It can't be..." Veemon was breathless.

"WereGarurumon..." Agumon said boldly. The door blasted open as the blue wolf in the distressed denim jeans walked in.

"That's my name don't wear it out." WereGarurmon announced.

"Why you... Don't just march in here and hurt our friends." Takuya said as he stood up. "Execute! Spirit Evolution! AGUNIMON!"

WereGarurumon charged right into his opponent and slashed him "Wolf Claw!" hitting Agunimon with such force that he fell out of the train into the canyons depths.

"OH NO! Agunimon!" Tommy cried out.

From the distance, Agunimon thought quickly as he fell. "Agunimon Slide Evolution... BURNINGGREYMON!" With his new wings BurningGreymon was able to recover from the fall and found the Trailmon again. He returned to the group. "Thank god my beast form has wings" He said with a relief. He turned to the others. "It's to dangerous I think we should move the battled don't you?" Everyone agreed.

Zoe grabbed her digivice, "Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution! ZEPHYRMON!" She flew up and swooped down to grab the wolf. "Sorry baby. We've got move this fight to somewhere without a bottomless pit." They flew off following the tracks until they reached solid ground. BurningGreymon followed after her.

"Tai," Koichi stood up. "Take Care of Koji for me."

"Alright..." Tai replied

"Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution! JAGERLOWEEMON!" JagerLoweemon ran off on the tracks racing to meet the others.

"Are you alright Trailmon?" Tommy asked the giant digimon they were inside off.

"Oh yeah never better!" Trailmon said sarcastically. "You know there's just A COUPLE OF GAPING HOLES IN ME!!"

Tommy stepped back, "Sorry..."

"Guys I think we should probably head to land too." Bokomon suggested.

"Yeah you're right." JP agreed.

"But how are we going to get there with Koji unconscious?" Tommy asked.

"I'd suggest Agumon digivolving into Greymon, but I think the weight might just break the tracks," Tai joked.

"Are you calling me fat Tai?" Agumon complained

"No of course not! Hehe..."

"Maybe if I digivolved to Raidramon?" Veemon suggested.

"That would be perfect cause then you can carry Koji!" Agumon cheered.

"But can you do it without Davis?" Tai wondered

"I think so, I mean I somehow digivolved into Flamedramon..."

"Wait a second, You digivolve to Flamedramon how can you have another digivolution? Is it like your next level ultimate form or something?" JP wanted to know.

"Oh that? Its kinda like how you have you're human spirits and beast spirits. I have digimentals that I use!" Veemon tried to explain. "I'll show you..." He began to focus "Come on... let's see Davis would say 'Digiarmor Energize' And then yeah... and then ... I can feel the power and ..." Veemon continued to concentrate, "Veemon armour digivolve to... RAIDRAMON!" nothing happened. "Huh it didn't work!" Veemon moped.

"It's okay." Tai tried to cheer him up.

"Oh I got it!" JP got out his digivice, "Execute! Spirit Evolution! BEETLEMON!" Beetlemon got out of the Trailmon and walked into the front. Curious to what he was doing the rest looked out to the window. "Slide Evolution! METALKABUTERIMON!"

"What are you doing?" Tommy called out.

"I'll be the transportation for Koji. Hurry and get him here!"

"But I don't think any of us can carry him out! We're all too small!" Tommy yelled back.

Tai forgot he was still six and pounded his fist against the wall. "Damnit."

"If you can't carry him use your spirit idiot!" MetalKabuterimon shouted back.

"Oh right!" Tommy realized

"What do you become?" Tai wondered.

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! KUMAMON!" The ice teddy bear on skis appeared.

"Umm you aren't much bigger Tommy," Agumon sighed.

"Oh I guess not!" Kumamon laughed. "Well then... Slide Evolution! KORIKAKUMON!" The large ice yeti appeared before them.

"Oh.. that's more like it!" Veemon cheered.

Korikakumon picked up Koji and threw him over his back. "Grab on to me guys and let's get out of here." Tai and the digimon nodded. With all of them safely holding on to the him, he jumped out of trailmon to where MetalKabuterimon was waiting.

"Thanks Trailmon!" Bokomon called to the digimon, "I think you should head back the way you came from."

"Yeah yeah see ya kids." Trailmon began to back up and left.

Korikakumon put Tai, Agumon, Veemon, Bokomon, and Neemon onto MetalKabuterimon's sides. "I can carry Koji back okay?"

"Yeah, All aboard the MetalKabuterimon express!" He said as they moved on the tracks with Korikakumon following closely behind

"Damnit" BurningGreymon watched as Zephyrmon was swatted like a fly as soon as they landed. "Burning Inferno" He shot out his attack at the enemy. WereGarurumon took the hit and flew across the earth. Zephyrmon stood up again and decided to slide evolve to Kazemon.

"You alright?" BurningGreymon asked her.

"Yep. Molto Bene." She said smiling.

"Watch Out" JagerLoweemon cried out as he caught up to them, "Ebony Blast." He knocked WereGarurumon off his feet once more. "Let me handle this you guys, he's all mine."

The other two understood and dedigivolved back to their human selves.

"Do your best!" Takuya called to him.

The face off began as WereGarurumon regained himself.

"You'll pay for hurting Koji." JagerLoweemon snarled at the opponent. He pounced right at the digimon but WereGarurumon threw him back.

WereGarurumon went for the counter "Garurukick!" The fight went like this for a while when MetalKabuterimon and the others reached them.

"Agumon, that's got be him right?" Tai asked his partner as the hopped off the blue metal bug.

"Yeah. No doubt about it." Agumon confirmed.

"But why is he fighting us?" Veemon asked them.

"Probably the same reason you two went haywire look," Tai pointed out the weird tattoo on the WereGarurumon's back.

"It's the same tattoo Flamedramon had when he fought us!" Agumon exclaimed.

"Do you mind letting us in on your conversation?" Takuya asked them

"Well, we know that digimon, too." Tai began.

"What him too!" JP cried (he and Tommy returned to their normal human forms)

"Yeah. I don't know what's going on but all our friends so far are being under control." Tai clenched his teeth.

"Molto bad! Who could do this!" Zoe exclaimed.

"I don't know," Agumon said as he watched the battle.

"JagerLoweemon aim for WereGarurumon's back." Bokomon shouted the order to the beast spirit of darkness,

JagerLoweemon nodded in agreement, "Dark Master!" He blasted the wolf's back erradicating the tattoo. As the digimon flew his fractal code appeared.

"YES! You did it!" Tai applauded as he raced to the fallen digimon's spot. JagerLoweemon knew he couldn't take the fractal code so he returned to being Koichi.

WereGarurumon de-digivolved into a smaller version of himself with a golden horn

"What's that?" Neemon asked Bokomon

"Well that's Gabumon. The rookie form of WereGarurumon." Bokomon explained

"Gabumon... Gabumon wakey wake!" Tai said.

The digimon opened his eyes, "Tai? Is that you?" Gabumon stood up and looked around. "How'd we get here? Last thing I remembered was I was at Gennai's place with the other digimon."

"I don't know actually. We're in digiworld that's all I know." Tai said

"This is the Digital world? I don't remember this place being in the digital world." Gabumon commented.

"Yeah, now that I think about it. I've never been here before."

"Hey Tai! You alright?" Takuya called to him.

"Yeah! Coming." Tai called back, "Come on Gabumon, I'll introduce you to some digidestined." They walked back to where the group was.

"Hey y'all" Tai grinned.

"GABUMON!" Agumon and Veemon said in unison.

"Hey guys," Gabumon then faced the digidestined, "Hello, I apologize for whatever misfortune I caused. But I think I was under control or something because I only remember I wanted a nice big fish for dinner and then poof everything went black. My name is Gabumon, please to meet you."

"Hi." They said together as they made introductions. Koichi was the last to introduce himself

"I'm Koichi and this is Koji," He pointed to his unconscious brother.

"Oh no! Did I do that?" Gabumon felt really bad. Koji woke up in that moment wincing in pain a little as he turned to Gabumon and tried to smile.

"No need to feel bad... It wasn't your fault... you were being controlled weren't you?" Koji stammered to say.

"But still, I did this to you and I'm sorry."

"WHY YOU FOOLISH BRATS!" A loud voice cried out from above. The group looked up but they couldn't see who was talking to them because the sun glared right in their eyes.

"Who are you?" Koichi demanded.

"Hmphh..." Was all the voice said as it disappeared into the wind.

As the voice disappeared something fell from the sky and landed on Koji's lap.

"What's this?" He picked it up. It was a silver key with a strange eye symbol flashing on its head.

"That looks like the crest of friendship." Tai told everyone.

"Really?" Koichi commented, "So this must be the key of friendship... alright the second key."

Tai looked at the symbol which reminded him of his best friend. _Matt where ever you and the others are, I hope I'll see you guys soon. You know these young digidestined, they have a lot to do but their friendship with each other definitely keeps them moving forward..._

**Done this chapter =) Hahah I think I'm starting to get really lazy of battle scenes but they got to happen. Any whoo.... I think I just unloaded a lot of new questions for you guys to figure out. Like Why do the Digimon Adventure digimon keep showing up being controlled. And Who is that voice and creature behind all this? Answers? I guess you guys have to keep reading to find out more =D**


	4. Trust

**Chapter four already... Thanks to everyone reading my fic so far and I've been enjoying the comments you leave me. I should start trying to reply to them though i tend to forget ... like today I decided to go back and read my first fic "His Return" and realized I wrote a lot in those chapters and I also realized I barely replied to anyone who commented which to those reading this fic who also commented on that one I'm sorry and I'll try to be better in replying lol... anyway I keep thinking to myself that I give off too many hints and that Tai doesn't seem like the Tai we knew back in 01 and 02... maybe its cause I'm trying to make him mature.... but I really will try and bring out his personality more lol. And I'm starting to think I'm pushing the frontier group to the background. Sigh, I don't think I do this intentionally but its cause 01 &02 were my favourites and I watch those ones over and over again so I know them better. My goal in the next couple of weeks is to re-watch the frontier episodes! Anyway enough of my rant...**

Chapter 4 Trust

The two keys jingled together on the chain Tai had strung together and wore around his neck at all times. It was decided that he would be the one to guard them especially since he had a special attachment to them. Today they were at a beach in the digiworld since as of late, Tai's digivice had not picked any new signals. The other kids weren't able to reach Ophanimon in the last couple of days either. The beach was perfect for them because nearby were fruit trees and they fished an ample supply of seafood from the ocean.

Koji had fully recovered from the attack by WereGarurumon and had helped fish quite a bit. Tai, Agumon, Veemon, and Gabumon had all went off to swim that day while the others decided to stay behind.

"Molto Bene!" Zoe commented on the weather. She had laid out on a nice purple beach towel courtesy of the shack and had her shades covering her eyes and a nice one piece bathing suit just bathing in the sun.

"I can't believe that the digital world could feel this relaxed and nice," Koichi agreed.

"Seems like all we ever get to do is fight off the bad guys," Koji sighed.

"Yeah... but I think it's pretty weird that all the baddies we've faced have all been friends of that Tai..." JP observed.

"I thought about that too... I think it's way to convenient that everything that has happened has been connected to Tai..." Koji said, "... what if..."

"No," Takuya said bluntly, "I really think we can trust Tai, I mean look at him..." He pointed out the boy in the ocean playing with digimon his size and laughing all the way through.

"Yeah I think we can trust Tai," Tommy chimed in.

"But..." Koji was still hesitant. They let the matter pass as Tai came running towards them.

With a big happy grin, Tai began to bounce around a soccer ball, "Anyone up for a game?" He asked.

Takuya was raring to go, "Sure, you may look like a kid, but I won't go easy on you! Anyone else?"

They all shook their heads, "No but go have fun," Zoe told them. And they ran off to play two-on-two beach soccer with Gabumon playing as a ref.

While they played, the others returned to their conversation.

"One minute that Tai's Mr. Serious the next he acts just like a little kid," JP commented.

"What is he up to?" Koji wondered.

"Does he really have to be up to something?" Koichi said, "I mean all he's done is help us. I do believe he's telling us the truth."

Koji thought for a moment, "I guess but... I don't think we should let our guard down. Even if he's telling the truth, what about the digimon? What were those strange tattoos?"

"Tai says that's what's been controlling them..." Tommy said.

"Yeah and whenever one of us took care of the tattoos they went to normal," Zoe put forth.

"But how can a tattoo control them?" JP wondered

"The tattoos embed themselves onto the nerves of the digimon, and take control of the mind. That's how," The digidestined jumped at Tai's voice. He was behind Koji holding the soccer ball in his hand.

"How do you know that Tai?" Zoe asked a little defensive.

"It's not the first time I've faced mind controlling devices," He replied with a simple, innocent face. He counted out with his fingers, "There's been black gears, dark rings, dark spirals, and control spires amongst some of the mind controlling devices. Usually destroying them is what brings the digimon back to their senses."

The digidestined didn't know what to say and thus remained silent.

"I am telling the truth by the way," Tai said, revealing their shame, "You can trust me or not, I don't really care because what I've been doing is trying to help you guys. This is your destiny all and if you don't want my help it's fine." Tai walked off a little annoyed at them, but didn't show it when he returned to his game.

"What's up?" Takuya asked him.

"Nothing much," he replied with a grin, "Just gonna whoop you in soccer, let's see Agumon and I have 3 points, you and Veemon have 1."

"We'll see about that," Takuya said as they returned to their game.

"That was a little unnerving," Zoe said to break the silence.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"I think you all should've trusted him," Tommy murmered, though they could hear what he said.

"Well it can't be helped now," JP sighed.

_Beep beep beep._ Bokomon rushed out of the beach shack running around with Tai's digivice in hand.

"Everyone the digivice is reacting to a bunch of things right now!" Bokomon said when he reached them. Neemon followed closely behind.

Tai saw them and ran back with Takuya and the digimon in tow.

"What's going on?" Takuya asked.

"Tai's digivice is reacting to a lot of different things," Tommy cried.

Tai took the digivice from Bokomon and analyzed it. "There are five signals at the same time and they're closing in right now!" Tai warned them.

They formed themselves in a circle with the digimon except Agumon in the inside, trying to figure out what was coming at them.

Silence was all they heard but the tension was thick, something was coming and they knew it.

There was a rumble below their feet.

"What's that?" Tommy wondered

"An earthquake?" Zoe believed.

"No," Koji said scanning all around then he had his sights locked to the ocean, "It's that."

A large tidal wave was heading for the shore. In the centre of it was a figure... a digimon.

"No way..." was all JP could muster.

"Guys, let's go!" Takuya announced, "Execute! Spirit Evolution! AGUNIMON!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! LOBOMON!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! BEETLEMON!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! KAZEMON!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! KUMAMON!"

"Execute Spirit Evolution! LOWEEMON!"

They all watched as the wave came closer to shore. Suddenly something flashed past Kazemon, cutting her cheek as it went. She looked down and saw a shuriken. Then she turned around and saw what had attacked her. "Bokomon! Who's that?" Kazemon asked the little digimon.

"That is Shurimon, an Armour digimon. Fast and silent as a ninja."

"Well this ninja hasn't met the likes of me yet!" Kazemon flew to where Shurimon pearched himself.

"JP, Back her up," Takuya ordered.

"Okay," Beetlemon said and flew to the upcoming battle.

"Tommy, Koji, I think you can handle whatever's coming our way," Takuya said referring to the wave.

"Gotcha," Kumamon said as he faced the ocean. Lobomon set himself up as well.

"Flower Cannon!" A ray of energy blasted the ground in front of Agunimon making him jump back.

"K, Koichi, let's take her," Agunimon told Loweemon. He nodded in agreement.

Bokomon called out to them, "That digimon's Lilymon! She's an ultimate level digimon!"

"Yeah well, fire beat flower!" Agunimmon said as he raced ahead.

"Bokomon can you see who that is?" Lobomon asked the little digimon

"I'm not quite sure..."

"That's Zudomon," Gabumon told them.

"So I'm guessing he's another one of your friends ain't he?" Lobomon asked Tai with a frown on his face.

"He is actually," Tai replied frowning as well, "Well all of them are..." He turned to his partner, "Agumon what's going on?"

"I don't know..." Agumon said, "maybe it's Devimon or Myotismon again..."

"Who?" Neemon asked

"They were really evil digimon we fought a while ago," Gabumon explained, "They were really wicked and it took us all our strength to defeat each one of them."

"Interesting," Bokomon commented.

"What do you mean?" Tai demanded, confused.

"Volton's Hammer!" Zudomon attacked sending a huge wave crashing at the remaining members of the group. When the water receded Lobomon went for a counter.

"Lobo Kendo!" he cried attacking the giant turtle with his kendo stick of light.

"Tommy can you see the tattoo anywhere?" Lobomon asked the ice teddy.

"Ummm.... let's see... OH there" he pointed to Zudomon's shell where strange black markings lined across the green. "Blizzard Blaster!" Kumamon fired his snowballs at the opponent. Zudomon evaded it with his hammer.

"Damn... Howling Laser!" He fired the attacking right at Zudomon's face, fazing him for a moment. "Try again!"

"Blizzard Blaster!" The snowballs hit the target eliminating the tattoo. "Yes! We did it!"

"Agumon?" Tai said. Agumon understood.

"Agumon digivolve to... GREYMON!"

"Wait what are you doing Tai?" Lobomon cried.

"Hurricane Wave!" "Lightning Blaze!" The twin attacks went straight for Shurimon only to be evaded by the ninja digimon.

"Arrgghhh..." Beetlemon moaned, "... he keeps running off."

"Maybe if we trap him?" Kazemon suggested.

"How so we can't even trap him if he we can't see where he's going?"

"I don't know? Just figure something out so I can attack, gratzi!" Kazemon told him.

Beetlemon sighed, "Alright let me think." He waited for a moment analyzing what was around him and then unleashed a "Lightning Blaze!" to an opening. Shurimon 'materialized' and was stunned.

Kazemon thus flew to where Shurimon was and delivered a "Love Tap." Her butt made contact with the opponent. Instantly Shurimon was overcome with affection for Kazemon. While he tried to woo her, Kazemon spotted the tattoo on the back of his head. "JP! Over here." She indicated where the tattoo was.

"Lighting Blaze!" The lightning streaked across to where the opponent stood from behind and hit him right in the tatt. It was destroyed and the Shurimon collapsed.

"Few now that's over and done with! Molto Cool" Kazemon said smiling. She landed to where Shurimon collapsed but found him missing.

"What the -" Beetlemon was confused.

"Shadow Meteor!" Loweemon blasted dark energy from his lion's head chest cannon aiming right at the little pixie.

Lilymon countered with her "Flower Cannon" and they were even. However from behind Agunimon came at her with a "Pyro Tornado" causing her to fall. Agunimon thus saw the tattoo's on her arms and attacked again with his "Pyro Darts" eliminating them.

"That was easy..." Loweemon commented as he relaxed a little.

"Now let's go get that flower fairy." Agunimon said. They walked to where she had fallen but she had disappeared.

"Where... where did she go?" Loweemon asked

"NOVA BLAST!" Greymon's attack was headed right for the Warriors of Flame and Darkness.

Luckily the two just evaded the attack. "Damn it Greymon you missed!" Tai cried out to his partner.

Lobomon ran to the boy and took him by the collar. "What the hell Tai! What are you doing? I knew we couldn't trust you!"

"Ughhh..." Tai struggled, wincing a bit. Then he saw something out of the corner of his eye, "Greymon!"

"Right, Nova Blast!" The attack whizzed right passed Tai and Lobomon into the air. It made contact with something invisible. Agunimon saw a shadow figure go within his visibility.

"What the hell---" Lobomon was suprised.

"I was attacking them," Tai struggled to free himself from Lobomon's grip. When the Warrior of Light realized this, he let the boy go. "I was after that thing!" He pointed as the fazed shadow who fell. It had held on to three digimon: a flower looking creature, a bird, and a seal with hair.

The digidestined surrounded the figure. He was cloaked in a shadowy substance, his true form unknown to them.

"Who are you?" Agunimon demanded from the creature.

"Look!" Tai said. He pointed to the chain around the creature's neck, it was two of the keys.

Lobomon went up to the creature and yanked the key's away from its neck. As he did this the creature faded away into nothingness.

"Huh...?" The digidestined wondered what had happened. After a bit, the digidestined returned to their human forms and Greymon de-digivolved back to Agumon

"What was that thing?" Zoe finally asked.

"It doesn't look like any digimon we've ever faced..." Tommy commented.

"Bokomon, can you tell us anything about it?" JP queried.

"Uhh... let me see..." Bokomon grabbed his book and began to flip through the pages, "..... errhh... well... nope, nothing."

"That's odd... was it even a digimon?" Koji wondered. Koji's attention however suddenly changed to the boy and the digimon surrounding him. The three digimon: Palmon, Hawkmon, and Gomamon were up a walking with him. Koji and Tai stared each other right in the eye and faced off. Koichi wanted to go to his brother but JP stopped him. Instead they simply watched the transaction.

Silence and tension filled the air, neither one wanting to make the move first. Finally Koji stepped closer to Tai and bowed deeply. "I apologize, Tai, for not trusting you." He admitted.

Tai's scowl turned into a sincere smile, "No worries," he replied, "I probably should have told you about that thing before attacking," he laughed it off.

"Well here," Koji held out the keys.

"Huh... the Keys of Sincerity and Reliability, I find that a little ironic," Tai joked. He went and reached for the keys. Suddenly, a huge ball of orange light surrounded Tai and Koji was knocked back to the ground.

"Woah, what's going on!" Takuya was breathless.

"This is cool," Tommy said, enamoured.

The light faded and in the cloud of smoke a figure was visible.

"Tai?" Koichi asked.

"Woah, that was weird," the others heard Tai's voice in the smoke. When it cleared, Tai was standing there with his hand still holding the two new keys. But some how he looked different.

"Bellisimo!" Zoe commented. Tai walked towards them, but now he was taller. And had a wardrobe change. He looked like he was 11 or 12 and had a blue t-shirt and brown khaki shorts. His goggle's where around his head with a blue headband behind him. He had gloves on and wore runners.

"Tai, you're..." Agumon was amazed.

"Reminds me of back when we first met," Gomamon said, "except for the light and smoke of course"

Everyone was a little stunned. "How did this happen..." was all Koji could say. Then, their D-tectors began to beep.

"Digidestined," Ophanimon's voice was loud and clear, "Come to my castle immediately."

"Ophanimon, Tai suddenly changed..." Tommy was cut off by the angel digimon.

"I and the others will explain everything you need to know about what is happening. Just hurry. The fate of the digital world rests..." Ophanimon's signal was cut off.

"I guess we need to go to Ophanimon," Koichi concluded.

"Yeah," Takuya said.

"Alright" Tai said determined, "Let's see this Ophanimon and maybe someone can tell me what the hell is going on here."

"One problem..." A gruff voice called them from behind...

**K, done lol. Please tell me what you think.**


	5. The Enemy Appears

Chapter 5 The Enemy Appears

"Who.... who are you?" Tommy was breathless.

"What are you?" Takuya demanded. The figure who called out to them smirked as he jumped from the cliff he was standing on, nearly 50 feet from the beach the group had just fought on.

Up close they were sort of able to tell what he looked like, yet he still hid in the shadows. He definitely looked human but wore black armour that caused him to blend in with the shadows. His eyes were covered with a pair of shade like goggles. He had a cape, and his dark raven hair flowed to his shoulders. He was nearly a foot taller than JP.

"I'm someone who's missing his little treasures," he said in a sinister tone.

"Treasures..." Koji repeated thinking for a bit... "Tai watch out..." But it was too late. In a flash, the person in armour magically appeared right in front of Tai and grabbed the collar of the boy's shirt.

"You have something that I want." Tai tried to pull himself from the his hold with one hand while holding the keys tightly with his other.

"Ag...agumon" Tai struggled to say.

"Pepper breath!" Agumon aimed for the person attacking his partner and the fire ball hit the opponents wrist. He let go of Tai to nurse his hand. In that moment, Tai acted hastily, jumping back and away from his attacker.

"Tai we'll take it from here..." said a grinning Gomamon, "Flying Fishes!"

"Blue Blaster!"

"V-headbutt!"

"Poison Ivy!"

"Feather Strike!"

The simultaneous attacks knocked the man on his back. However it only slightly stunned him.

"Can you digivolve, Agumon?" Tai asked worried that he will attack again.

Agumon shook his head, "I used up all my energy in the last fight, its too soon plus, I need food."

"Already..." Tai frowned, "didn't you eat alot before?"

Agumon nodded.

"Damn it," Tai clenched his teeth.

The man in the armour recovered from the attacks and disappeared into thin air.

"What the -" Tai groaned.

"He's still here," Koji was able to sense his presence, "Execute! Spirit Evolution! LOBOMON!"

He moved to where Tai was.

"Thanks," Tai appreciated his help. The rest of the digidestined were beside themselves. Suddenly, they were all dragged together by a mysterious aura, bound in a circle and tied as if they were all bound by rope. The same thing happened with the digimon. The only ones left were Agumon, Tai, and Lobomon.

"What's going on?" Takuya cried as he struggled to break free from the invisible bind.

The man's voice was cackling like an echo in a canyon.

"Why are you doing this?" Koichi demanded an answer.

"Why? The warrior of darkness asks?" He mocked, "To get what I want, what I need."

"The keys..." Tai muttered, holding them tighter as his eyes widened.

"Yes boy! The keys! With those I can unlock the power I need..."

"Why, why do you need the keys? What are you going to do with them?" Zoe cried, still struggling as the invisible rope tightened. The ones bound gasped for air.

"There is no need for you to know dear Warrior of the Wind." He cackled once more.

Lobomon ran to his friends and attempted to cut whatever had bound them with his Light Kendo sword, but failed as some strange magic prevented him and instead sent him flying.

"Koji!" Takuya and Tai yelled in unison. The man merely laughed as the ropes tightened even more on the digidestined and digimon.

"Ugghhh...." Palmon cried in pain.

Tai raged within. "STOP THIS NOW!" his fist clenched by his side trembled.

"Then give me the keys," The man regained his physical form right in front of Tai with his hand stretched out.

Lobomon struggled to stand up, he groaned, "Tai, don't..."

Tai turned to the digidestined/digimon and sighed, "If I don't then he'll hurt you all. No one is able to fight, you can barely stand," he looked into the eyes of all of the people and digimon there. They pleaded with him to not give in. He faced the man in armour once more, sighed and closed his eyes. "Sorry," he muttered as he pulled of the chain of keys around his neck. The symbols engraved on the four keys glowed with their respective colours, the brightest of which was the gold key of courage. They burned in his hand though the heat didn't hurt Tai at all. He tightened his fist around the keys once more as he lifted his arm up.

"Now that's a good boy," The man smiled in triumph.

"Tai..." Takuya cried out.

"Tai..." JP raged

"No..." Zoe gasped

"... you can't," Tommy sobbed.

"I don't believe it," Bokomon winced

"Yeah...." Neemon was saddened

"Tai..." Gabumon, Gomamon, Veemon, Palmon, and Hawkmon pleaded

Koji stared at him cold-heartedly

Agumon looked at his partner, "Why..." was all he could say.

"What is it..." Tai said, directing his words to the man.

"What is what?" He wondered.

"Your name, your purpose." His arm still was held out within inches of the man's own hand

"My name?" he laughed, "Well, I guess you can call me "Kujo"... as for my purpose, that is unimportant to you..."

Bam! "Kujo" was knocked back by the ferocity of the punch Tai delivered. His eyes now opened stared intensly at "Kujo."

"Don't give me that unimportant crap," Tai said ferociously, "I'm not stupid. Your name gives it away. "Kujo"" he spat, "_extermination...destruction!_ So you want to destroy this world... and the real world as well... As a digidestined, I will never let you destroy anything."

The glow of the Key of Courage increased, the light revealed the mysteries of the bindings. Disgusting Vilemon were the cause of the tightening ropes as there were five holding on to the rope with the digidestined, while three were surrounding the tied up digimon.

Kujo scowled, "Damn you..."

Lobomon finally got up to his feet. "Slide Evolution! KENDOGARURUMON!" KendoGarurumon attacked first at the five Vilemon then the three Vilemon using "Lupine Laser." After their destruction, the ropes were released, and they were finally free. KendoGarurumon turned his attention to Kujo. "Howling Star!" His attack was blocked by Kujo's arm amazingly.

Kujo stepped back and vanished once again, "I'll be back..."

The tension in the air disappeared as well as the glow of the Key. Everyone made a sigh of relief.

"Is everyone alright?" Koji, after having dedigivolved. He rushed to his friends who were taking a moment to recover, then went to the digimon. They all seemed okay.

"Tai," Agumon cried in panic. Everyone turned and saw Agumon and a collapsed Tai. The yellow digimon tried to shake his partner to wake him up. However Tai remained unconscious.

The group immediately rushed to the boy who had just helped them. His body was burning, he was sweating hard, a fever. Zoe instinctively placed her hand on his forhead, but immediately took it off, the heat from his body actually burned her.

"Guys, this is not good," Zoe informed them. "I can't even touch him," She was nursing her hand.

Takuya reached out to touch his head as well. Koji wanted to stop him, "You idiot, Zoe was just burnt."

"I know," Takuya argued, "But look." His hand was placed on Tai's head like nothing had happened.

"That's strange," JP commented.

"Maybe not," Koichi analyzed, "They all represent fire anyway."

"We shouldn't worry about this," Tommy said, "Tai's sick, we need to bring him somewhere where he could get better."

"Digidestined, Come to my castle... hurry," Ophanimon's voice rang out clear from their D-tectors.

"But how'll we move Tai?" Agumon wondered, "He's too big for me to carry, and for you guys too, plus he's also too hot for you all."

"I'll do it!" Takuya offered, "Just let me change... Execute! Spirit Evolution! AGUNIMON!" Agunimon walked to Tai and Agumon and picked the unconscious boy up. "Okay, let's catch the next Trailmon to Ophanimon's place."

The rest nodded in agreement

In the darkest of forests, Kujo appeared, distraught. He balled his fist and punched a nearby tree, causing it to split. Kujo's eyes burned in fury, "Those damn kids, I will get them. I will get them." Thousands of eyes made their presence known to Kujo. He looked around and calmed, "Ahhh, my dears. You'll help me won't you?" A pause. He made a sigh of relief. "Ahhh... thank you. Now go. Go and get those keys ... and the children too.

The eyes disappeared and he was left alone once more. Kujo ripped off his armour, revealing his chest scarred, most likely from previous battles. His entire left arm was bloody, from the attack by KendoGarurumon. With his right hand, he made a few signs in the air then placed it on the arm. Black symbols similar to the tattoos of the controlled digimon appeared all over his body, giving off a dim light. When the light dispersed, Kujo's arm was fully healed. He tested out the arm, making sure everything worked properly. He then, slammed his fist behind him to another tree. He smiled and vanished into thin air.

**Sorry, feels like this chapters short. Oh well =) Anyway, please comment to help me improve... lol**

**Tai's fever, Kujo, the secret of the Keys... what is going on here? Catch it next on Chapter 6**


	6. To Ophanimon's House We Go

**haven't updated in a while... sorry... I've been busy with this benefit concert that I've been working on. Anyways it'll be over by Saturday so hopeful I have more time...**

Chapter 6 To Ophanimon's House We Go

The group rushed to Ophanimon's palace, taking as little detours as possible. They reached her place but Tai's fever continued. He burned as hot as fire. He was asleep but he was in pain. Agunimon carried him to the entrance with the rest of the group following behind him.

Ophanimon saw them and gasped. "This way Agunimon." She rushed them to a room with a table and placed him down. Ophanimon tried to feel his forehead but retracted her hand as the heat pained her. "I was afraid this would happen..."

Agunimon returned to Takuya. "Ophanimon, can you tell us what's going on here?"

Ophanimon took her eyes off the boy laying down and turned to the digidestined, "Yes, yes of course." She said some words and visions appeared in the minds of the digidestined. "This world is collapsing within itself, digidestined, some outside force is creating this. You digidestined must --"

"Wait a sec, What do you mean outside force? Like another human?" Koji asked the celestial digimon.

"Not exactly," Ophanimon sighed, "I'm afraid it's a force that this digital world has never seen before."

"If it is not human, and it's not a digimon, what could it be?" Zoe was worried.

"I do not know," Ophanimon replied, "However, I do know that the prophecy knows how to defeat it."

"You mean that prophecy about the keys?" Tommy questioned.

"Yes, the Legendary Warriors must locate and find all of the keys and must understand the power which the keys unlock to defeat this evil. There is a time limit as well..."

"Time limit?" Koichi wondered.

"If you don't destroy the evil polluting this world within 5 days then it will be too late."

"5 days..." Takuya repeated.

"Ummm... Ophanimon," Agumon spoke

"Yes?"

"Have we met before?" He asked her.

"I don't believe so."

"Oh," Agumon looked down at the floor.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you look familiar, like someone I was friends with long ago." Ophanimon looked at him with sympathy. Agumon decided to change the subject, "Is there anyway to help Tai?"

"Tai, I'm afraid I cannot even touch him let alone help him."

Gabumon pleaded, "There must be something! Anything at all..."

"I'll ask Seraphimon for you..."

"Seraphimon?" Bokomon perked up when he heard the celestial digimon's name.

"Yes just wait a moment." Ophanimon left the room. Palmon was changing the wet cloth on Tai's forehead, careful not to touch him at all. The digidestined were all in deep thought.

After a few minutes Ophanimon returned with another digimon beside her. It was Seraphimon.

"Momma!" Seraphimon slipped up when he saw the group, he then turned red and cleared his throat. Bokomon was all misty eyed when he saw Seraphimon but he too retained his composure. "Hello everyone."

Gomamon, Palmon, Veemon, Hawkmon, Gabumon, and Agumon all whispered to one another. "You look familiar too," Veemon said bluntly.

"Oh really?" Seraphimon said, "Maybe you met someone who is of my kind... another Seraphimon maybe?"

"Another Seraphimon?" Neemon wondered, "I thought there was only one Seraphimon..."

Seraphimon smirked. Then he turned to Tai, "Now what happened here."

"We were fighting this guy named Kujo..." Tommy began, "and when he left, Tai collapsed and he got this super hot fire fever."

"Mhmm..." Seraphimon analyzed the boy. "I will try with another of my forms to cure this boy's fever." He glowed brightly and transformed into MagnaAngemon.

"Wow...." Zoe gasped.

"MagnaAntidote!" MagnaAngemon used his power and Tai himself began to glow.

Agumon felt his forehead, "His fever's going down..." The rest of them were relieved.

"Excellent," MagnaAngemon exclaimed, "My healing touch never fails me." He reverted back to Seraphimon.

The earth suddenly began to shake.

"Crap!" Takuya exclaimed. He had a bad feeling something's gonna want a fight.

"Before you go," Ophanimon called out, "I would like to give you digidestined a gift." A bright glow came from within each of them.

"Cool," Tommy exclaimed.

Takuya clenched his fist, "I feel stronger."

"Yeah," Koji agreed.

"Go, we'll take care of the Tai and the digimon." Seraphimon told them.

"Okay, Let's go!" Zoe called.

They went out of the castle to see a yellow beetle drilling the earth. "Hello hello, little kiddies."

It was Kujo. And he brought along some more Vilemon, as well as some Bakemon. It was an army.

"K guys, let's fight." Takuya told his friend, " Execute! Spirit Evolution! AGUNIMON!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! Lobomon!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! Loweemon!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! Kazemon!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! Kumamon!"

"Execute! Spirit Evolution! Beetlemon!"

"Excellent," Kujo grinned in a sinister way.

The digidestined fought against the enemy digimon. Though every time they destroyed the digimon, more replaced them.

"Argghh, this is impossible!" Agunimon cried as he blasted three more.

"They just keep coming," Lobomon commented as he took care of two Vilemon.

"Takuya, go and take care of that yellow digimon with the drill for a nose," Kazemon told the flame warrior.

"Fine..." Agunimon jumped out of the way and faced the digimon. "Hey ugly what's your name?"

"Rawrr," the digimon growled.

"Rawr? Okay what the heck, Rawr," Agunimon laughed as he gave the digimon a PyroTornado. When he recovered from the spin, he spotted a dark tattoo. "Ahhh, Rawr, there's that evil tattoo. Let me just take it off you... PyroPunch!" the fire dragon hit the yellow digimon right in the tattoo and destroyed it."

Agunimon made sure the digimon was alright as it dedigivolved to another smaller yellow digimon. Then he made his way to help his friends again.

"There's still more coming," Beetlemon explained as he Thunder punched a Bakemon to obliteration.

As they fought a Vilemon moved towards Kujo and whispered something in his ear. Kujo nodded. "Well, children, I will have to say Adieu for now, see you" And he disappeared in a black tornado. The enemy digimon also disappeared.

"Great..." Kazemon said sarcastically as she returned to being Zoe.

"What was that about?" Koichi wondered.

"I dunno," Tommy said.

They returned back to the palace. Tai was already awake. He was discussing something privately with the celestial angels as they returned.

"Yes... yes I understand," Tai said then he saw his friends and grinned, "Hey guys do alright outside?"

"It was weird," Takuya sighed, "We were fighting them when all of a sudden they just decided to leave."

"Yeah, it seems like the were looking for something and they found it, while they were doing that they tried to distract us with those digimon." Koji said.

"Speaking of digimon..." Zoe pointed towards the digimon entering the room. It was the little yellow creature who used to be a large yellow one with a drill.

"Hello there," the digimon called out to them, "I seem to be lost..."

"Ahh Armadillomon!" Hawkmon called out to him.

"Hawkmon? Veemon?" Armadillo smiled as he met his friends.

"Yo Armadillomon," Tai said as if nothing was wrong.

"So, Tai what were you talking to Ophanimon and Seraphimon about?" Koji asked him.

"Uhh... well it kinda had to do with why I 'grew up'" Tai said.

"Well?" Zoe waited for the explanation.

"They believe I'm a little connected to the power of the keys. The more keys we have, The older I'll become until I get to be my old self again."

"Oh," Koichi smiled, "That gives us another reason to get those keys, you know other than using them to defeat the evil creature bent on destroying the world."

"Well, I guess we should get going..." Takuya groaned, "We only have five days you know."

"Ophanimon," Tai called her.

"Yes Tai?"

"Is is okay if my friends here stay with you. I mean, they don't seem to be able to digivolve so they might get hurt if they stay with us."

"Are you sure Tai?" Gabumon asked, a bit upset.

"Yeah," Tai said concerned, "Agumon, if you want too..."

Agumon shook his head, "I've got to be there to protect you Tai."

"Very well," Ophanimon concluded.

"Thanks," Tai said, "And Seraphimon... about what you said... I'm gonna try my best and that's my answer."

"Okay, I best be off then... digidestined, Ophanimon... Momma.. ahem..bye" Seraphimon left.

"Now digidestined, I have given you the four other elemental warriors to aid you when you need it most. I believe that when all eight keys are gathered, your greatest battle will arrive. Now I give you all my blessing and when you need help, we will be there to assist you. Take care digidestined."

"Thank you Ophanimon." Takuya said.

Tai's digivice began to beep. "Ahh it looks like we've got to go."

"Alright..." Zoe said. The digidestined bid their farewells and left the castle.

"So you have it now you say?" Kujo asked a creature hidden in shadows. Kujo was sitting down on a throne. The shadow creature nodded

"Yes my lord," He handed over a key to Kujo. "I found it exactly where you told me."

"Perfect, perfect..." Kujo said happily. "And you replaced it with the fake I assume."

"Yes, and those children will never know the difference until they are too late."

"Yes yes excellent." Kujo smiled, "Now the real game shall begin..."

**I'm really tired... I don't know why. Maybe it's because I spend to much time on the laptop... hahaha Anyway I hoped you like the chapter and review please =)**


	7. Knowledge is the Key

**Have updated this one in a while. Sorry about that lol. I kinda got distracted plus it took me a while to write out exactly what happens here. Just for you then I'll make this extra special =)**

Chapter 7 Knowledge is the Key

"Hey Tai... so what did Seraphimon and Ophanimon talk to you about?" Takuya asked him during the Trailmon ride to the next destination pointed out by Tai's digivice.

"What conversation?" Tai asked innocently. He honestly wasn't sure what the Warrior of Flame was talking about.

"You know... when we came back from fighting that Kujo guy, we saw you talking to them... it sounded really important."

Tai thought for a moment and then it clicked, "OHHHH _That_ conversation," He said with a grin.

"Yeah so what was it about?" Takuya was really curious.

"Ummm... nothing important really, just stuff..." Tai decided to change the subject and took out the keys. "So anyway, right now we have the keys of courage, friendship, sincerity, and reliability. If they really do follow the original crests, then we only need to find knowledge, love, hope, and light."

"So four out of eight doesn't seem tooo bad," Tommy commented.

"I wonder what's going to happen when we get all eight keys?" Zoe wondered.

"Maybe they'll unlock a giant treasure chest where we'll all get cool weapons which will defeat the evil force we have to fight." JP hoped.

"That would be awesome," Takuya agreed.

"But the thing is where'd we use the keys in the first place," Koji was analytical.

"Does it say anything about it in the prophecy?" Koichi asked.

Bokomon popped out of nowhere which made most of them jump, "Nope, no mention at all of how to use it."

"Umm... Bokomon I thought we asked you, all the digimon to stay at Ophanimon's?" Tai asked him

"Well, Neemon and I have been with the warriors since the beginning and we are not going to stop now," Bokomon explained.

"Yeah!" said Neemon as he popped up beside him.

Tai sighed, "I guess I can't exactly stop you guys."

"At least I won't be the only digimon here," Agumon said.

"Why is Agumon here?" Tommy asked.

"He's my partner, of course he'll come with me," Tai defended, "Besides he can digivolve to Greymon so he's got some power."

"Right right..." Bokomon said.

"How much farther is it to the next point?" Koji asked Tai

"Ummm... not much it should be about five kilometres from here." Tai said checking his digivice.

"Man, your digivice sure does come in handy," JP commented.

"Uh huh..." Tai nodded with a grin. When they reached the point, they got off and headed west. The GPS tracker led them to a small little cottage in the middle of nowhere.

"Oh this definitely looks suspicious," JP announced.

"It's just a cottage..." Tommy said.

"Yeah a cottage with broken windows, and ominous clouds hovering over it," Zoe agreed with JP.

"So who wants to go first?" Koichi queried.

Everyone stared at each other. And then "Rock, paper, scissors!" Tai, Koji, Koichi, Zoe, Tommy, Agumon, Neemon, and JP all chose rock. Takuya and Bokomon had scissors.

"Two out of three?" Takuya asked. The rest of them were already pushing the two losers to the door.

"Good Luck!" Tai told him

"Yeah! Go get 'em" Koichi encouraged.

"You'll do fine," JP smiled slyly.

"Yeah," Koji agreed.

"Be safe," Tommy waved them farewell.

"Ciao," called Zoe.

"Bye bye," Neemon waved as well. They all backed away slowly until they reached a boulder, and decided to hide behind it.

"Gee... thanks guys," Takuya sighed. Slowly he opened the door. It was dark. He and Bokomon slipped inside and immediately the door closed. "Great..." Takuya exhaled.

"Takuya, I'm sure its not as bad as it looks," Bokomon said, hiding behind his leg. It was dark inside, nearly pitch black. "How about turning into Agunimon and shedding some light?"

"The place is too small, I might burn everything and we might never find the key."

"Well then, that Agumon sure would sound useful right now," Bokomon sighed. Takuya led the way, slowly following the walls and entryways.

"This place seems larger than it looks," Takuya observed.

"Or maybe we're just going around in circles."

"No... I would know. I marked the doors we passed through already."

"hmmm..." Bokomon looked down. He noticed something shining between the baseboards. "Takuya look!"

He showed the goggle-headed boy the glimmer in the floor. He thus knelt down and pried them apart. The glimmer of light was evident however the way down looked deep.

"Do you think we should...?" Bokomon was hesitant. However Takuya grabbed him and made the big leap down.

* * *

"They're taking too long," Zoe complained. It had been a good couple of hours already, but the two that went inside the house were still not back.

"Maybe we should go and check up on them..." Koji was getting worried. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. As they approached the door, two things happened. The first, the door was sealed no matter how hard they pulled or pushed the door wouldn't budge. The second, thunder began echoing through the sky.

"Aww crap, I have a badd feeling about this," JP exclaimed.

"Notty notty, good children should not attempt to break into people's homes..." a familiar voiced scolded them from above.

"Kujo..." Tai ground his teeth as he spoke. Kujo flew in from the sky on the back of a blue beetle with a big helmet.

"Kabuterimon!" Agumon shouted.

* * *

The room the two had landed in was as dark as the rest of the cottage. Takuya awoke first and winced in pain as he tried to stand up. He fell right back down and swore to himself. He turned to the digimon beside him and attempted to nudge him awake. "Bokomon... Bokomon!"

The digimon groaned a little as he regained consciousness. "Where are we?"

"The bottom of a hole," Takuya was blunt. "Bokomon, could you help me?"

"I'll try but you know, I'm 2 feet tall and you're about two and a half times my height," Bokomon commented. He went and tried to lift the digidestined up but he was too heavy. He looked around. They were in an empty room. "Oh darn it, there's not even a stick that you could use."

Takuya sighed and shuffled to a wall. Using it as support he stood. Takuya took out his D-tector to act as a torch as he examined the damage. He left leg was broken with a huge gash on the side. "How did it get this bad?" he was breathing heavily. The pain was intense causing him to fall again. He pointed the D-tector around the area where he fell. There was nothing but cement. Then he pointed it up. The fall looked as though it was around twenty feet high. He noticed something metal right beside the hole in the ceiling. There was some old pipes there one of which was had burst leaving a rather sharp piece just hanging around. "I guess that's how my leg got torn" he sighed.

"Can you contact the others to help us?" Bokomon asked him.

"I'll try," he fiddled with his digivice. "Hello, can anyone hear me? Zoe? Koji? JP? Tommy? Koichi? Ophanimon? Anyone?" There was no answer. Instead, only static could be heard. He turned to the little digimon, "Do you think you can find the source of the light?"

"The...light?" Bokomon asked.

"Yeah, you know the reason we fell was for that light."

"Oh yes... I remember."

"Yeah, just look for it, K?"

"But-"

Takuya knew he was worried about him, "I'll be fine Bokomon, just go." Bokomon nodded and carefully went off to look for the light source. While Bokomon searched, Takuya pulled off his jacket and tore the fabric for a makeshift bandage for his leg. The blood was seeping through a bit but it was better than before.

He waited... and waited... and waited but Bokomon never came back. He was getting worried but because of his leg he couldn't move around. "BOKOMON!" He called out, "Where are you?" There was no reply. Takuya felt useless... He cursed and punched the floor, "Damn it..."

* * *

"Battle's over, you lose," Tai told Kujo as he stood there. The Bakemon he had brought along with him were digitized while the blue beetle (Kabuterimon) had been defeated, tattoo removed and dedigivolved to Tentomon.

Kujo meerly laughed at the notion. "No Kamiya, I believe I have not lost yet."

Greymon, Kazemon, Beetlemon, Kumamon, Lobomon, and Loweemon surrounded the strange man.

"Hmmm... I wonder how your friends are?" He taunted, "Haven't they been there for a while now... if you don't hurry to save them I believe they'll be lost forever..." He used that moments hesitation of the digidestined to escape vanishing before their eyes.

"Damn it, where'd he go?" Beetlemon groaned.

"He was just buying time wasn't he?" Kazemon wondered.

"For what I wonder..." pondered Kumamon.

"I think we should think less about Kujo's intentions for now... I have a bad feeling those two are in trouble," Tai frowned. The digimon surrounding him nodded. He tried for the door.

"Wait, the door was sealed last time we -" Beetlemon realized but this time the door opened for them.

"This feels..." Tai began.

"...very evil..." Lobomon finished. The group was hesitant to move as the evil aura within the house strengthened.

"We've got to go help them though, even if we're entering the layer of the beast, we need to help them." Loweemon said. He made the first step towards and once he was through he was forcibly dedigivolved.

"Koichi what happened?" Lobomon asked.

"Dunno... I didn't do this..."

Tai stepped in next but was fine. Then when Lobomon entered he too dedigivolved. Greymon dedigivolved ahead of time back to Agumon, partly due to the fact that he was too big to fit through the door. Kazemon moved next but Tai blocked the doorway.

"What are you doing Tai, let me through!"

"I don't think we should all go..." Tai explained.

"What do you mean?" she was getting a bit frustrated by him.

"I think we can handle it. You three should keep a guard out in case Kujo does something dirty," Koji agreed with Tai.

"Bu-" Kumamon was about to complain.

"It's for the best, besides I hope you guys can protect Neemon and Tentomon alright" Agumon said with a grin.

"If we need help we'll try our best to reach you all-" The door shut in front of their eyes on its own. The three boys and the yellow dinosaur were sealed inside the house.

"Now how should we look for them?" Tai wondered. Koji sighed as though expecting a brilliant plan was already made by the boy with the goggles.

"I think I have a flashlight..." Koichi said. He dug into his pocket for a bit throwing out old bits of lint and a used gum wrapper until he found what he was looking for. It was one of those keychain torches that were super bright and it immediately lit up the room. They began looking around for Takuya and Bokomon, calling out their names aloud.

"The cabin looks like it hasn't been touched in a long time." Agumon observed.

"It probably hasn't since today..." Tai said, he was about to speak more however he paused.

"What is it?" Agumon saw the expression in his partners eyes, distress. However Tai shook it off and continued searching for the missing friends. They walked into another room when Koji stopped Agumon from walking forward.

"Watch it there's a hole down there," Koji cautioned.

They heard faint sounds coming from beneath them. Koichi shined his light down to check. The light barely touched the ground but he couldn't see anyone. "There's nothing there." But they heard the sounds again.

"I think we should go down there..." Tai said.

"It's a really steep drop we won't make it unscathed. Lemme try digivolving first... EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION!" Koji attempted but failed. "Damn it..."

"Wait for me up here okay." Tai told the twins.

"Wait... what are you-" Koichi stopped speaking as Tai jumped into the hole.

"Idiot!" Koji yelled out to him. There was a thud.

"Tai!" Agumon called to his partner.

"Ugghhh I'm fine" the goggle-head groaned, "I hope I get some points for a stuck landing.. he he."

"Idiot!" Koji said once more, "Is there anything down there?"

"Well.. I can't really see anything..." He paused, "OH I know how 'bout you guys jump and I'll catch you?"

"That doesn't sound to safe..." Agumon sighed.

"Well its better than all of us being separated," Tai told them, "Come on I promise I wont miss! Koichi you should go first since you have the flashlight."

Koichi sighed. "Alright." he made the leap, praying silently. Tai caught him in his arms but fell back under the force.

"You okay?" The warrior of light asked his brother.

"We're fine," Tai replied instead. A light shone from below.

"Okay, I'm coming down!" Agumon jumped before Tai can say anything and landed on Tai with a thud.

"OUCH! Agumon I always forget how much you weigh..." Tai moaned.

"Sorry."

"Koji, it's your turn now" Koichi called to him. Koji jumped in and was caught by the trio.

"Thanks," He said, brushing himself off. He heard his brother gasp and turned to him.

"Takuya..." Koichi rushed to the boy's side. The others followed his lead. Takuya was breathing heavily and sweating a lot.

He was conscious. He looked up squinting as the light from the mini-torch glared right at him. "Koichi? Koji? Tai?" He moaned.

"Yeah... what happened?" Tai asked him.

He struggled a bit to speak. "Jumped down here... with Bokomon... leg... torn... Bokomon's... gone." His face showed the pain Takuya was in.

Koichi examined his leg, It was seeping through the cloth wrapped around it, it was in pretty bad shape. He removed his bag from his back and took out a small first aid kit. He unwrapped the cloth and grabbed a clean cloth from the kit and soaked it with a mix of rubbing alcohol and water. "This is gonna sting," He warned Takuya as he began to clean the wound. Takuya winced after every stroke of the cloth. After he cleaned the wound, Koichi took out the thread and needle. The gash was fairly big, luckily Koichi had taken first aid classes. He began to stitch it up. Koji and Tai looked away as he did this. Takuya bit his lip hard to prevent himself from screaming in anguish. Once finished he wrapped it in clean bandages. "Good thing I brought my first aid kit." Koichi smiled.

"Yeah..." Takuya was a little queezy.

"Can you stand up?" Koji asked his friend.

"Not really... I need support I guess..."

Tai and Koji each took an arm and put it around their respective shoulders.

"Thanks..." Takuya grinned. He was still breathing heavily.

"We need to get out of here," Tai told them.

"But we need to find Bokomon," Agumon retorted.

"Where could he have gone?" Koji wondered.

"I dunno. All I can say is that we can't exit the way we entered," Tai said

"Well then we just have to look around here." Koichi led the way with his flashlight. The area they were in oddly enough looked like the rooms above them after the area they fell into. The rooms all looked exactly the same.

"What the hell!" Tai exclaimed causing the others to stop as well.

"What is it Tai?" Koji asked him

"This is fucking absurd. See that door? That was the first door we ever entered into."

"How do you know?" Koichi wondered

"Cause I marked it right there when we came across it first." He pointed to a slash on the door post.

"How can it be we were just downstairs." Agumon was shocked.

Koji balled his free hand into a fist and punched the nearest wall. "I knew it... there was something strange in this house."

"We're in an alternate dimension..." Tai sighed.

"This was a trap wasn't it?" Koichi asked

"You're... probably right..." Takuya huffed. "We need to find Bokomon and the Key and get out of here."

"But how?" Agumon queried.

"If only I can just burn down this entire place..." Takuya muttered.

Tai thought for a moment, "Well maybe we won't have to..." He gave Koichi Takuya's arm and walked to a blank wall and examined it, he then carefully placed his hand and... "AHA! Look guys!" His hand disappeared right through the wall. He grinned, "Its a fake..."

"How'd you do that?" Koichi was shocked.

"I noticed that in most rooms there were usually doors on all four sides except this one right here. So this was my guess hahaha" Tai was proud of his accomplishment. "Hopefully this will lead us where we need to be." With that he jumped through. The others followed him and were a bit shocked to find Bokomon just standing there with a book in his hand completely immersed in it.

"Bokomon! What the hell do you think your doing?" Koji demanded. Bokomon simply ignored him. Agumon and Tai went up to him. Tai waved his hand in front of the digimon's eyes but he didn't even blink.

"The book might be causing this..." Koichi observed. Tai and Agumon nodded in agreement to each other. Agumon went around and wrapped his arms around the white digimon as Tai firmly grabbed hold of the book. On the count of three, they forcibly pulled the two apart but it was by no means an easy task. Bokomon and Agumon flew to one side of the room while Tai flew to the other. At the instant Bokomon let go of the book he returned to his senses but fell unconscious. Tai's eyes glazed over in a trance similar to Bokomon's.

"Shit now its Tai!" Koji let go of Takuya and rushed to the other's side. In his eyes he could faintly see ones and zeros processing through his pupils. "Damn it Tai." He slapped Tai hard on the cheek causing him to move his eyes away from the book and drop it. Koji pulled Tai away from it as he recovered.

"Damn..." Tai cursed to himself.

"What was that thing?" Koichi asked him.

Tai glared at the book, "A LOT of information. That's what I can say..." The book began to glow... "The symbol on the cover... it's the crest of Knowledge!" Tai attempted to move towards the book.

"Wait... do-" Takuya and the others watched as the entire book was consumed by a purple light then disappeared, leaving behind a key.

"So that book was the key, huh?" Koji exclaimed.

Tai picked up the key and placed it with the others. As he did their surroundings melted before them revealing the world outside where Zoe, JP, Tommy, Neemon, and Tentomon awaited them. They rushed to the four boys with worried looks on their faces.

"Are you guys alright?" Zoe asked them.

"Yeah... just peachy," Takuya said sarcastically. She gasped as she saw his leg.

"Dude what did you do?" JP asked him.

"Long story... I'll tell you about it when we leave this place..."

As they began their conversation, Koji pulled Tai aside with a serious look on his face. "What happened?"

"You saw what happened... you were there..." Tai said lightly.

"You know what I mean..."

"I saw stuff..." Tai's voice faded a little.

"What stuff?"

"Stuff about the past... the present... the future..." Tai expression turned serious, "And something that might help us... The real enemy..."

* * *

"Bokomon you're finally awake," Tai said. They were in a Trailmon's cabin.

"Where are the others?"

"Their in the next car, eating. I volunteered to watch over you," Tai grinned.

Bokomon's face was distraught. "Tai..." He hesitated.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"The book had shown me a lot of things. Especially about you and your friends..." Tai gave him a quizzical look. "I saw how you defeated your enemies when you looked just like you do now... when you were eleven... but I also saw you when you were older and fighting more evil digimon..."

"Yeah... what else."

"Well, now I understand everything about you. And I mean everything. The very fact that your here right in front of me well just plain shocks me. I mean... you're not even from this dimension are you... and not only that but you..."

Tai's eyes were somber. He put his finger to his lips and made the 'shhh' motion. "I know. I know it all too."

"But when did you find out about this?"

"When I first met you guys, I didn't lie to you. I had now idea why I was here... but after I that fever, everything just came to... I already spoke to those two celestial digimon about it. They know it too..."

"But why keep this a secret?"

"You all already have a lot to worry about, I didn't need you guys obsessing about little old me. Besides you guys do need me. I want to help," Tai explained, "Just please don't tell any of the others... I'll do it when everything's over okay?"

"Bu-" Bokomon was interrupted as the door opened revealing the rest of the group. Tai made the zip lips motion and winked.

"Bokomon! You're all better!" Tommy jumped for joy. Takuya hobbled down after him on some crutches they had found and the rest came after.

"Hey guys... he just woke up, good thing you came!" Bokomon took note of how fast Tai was able to change his tone so easily.

"Uhh... yeah but I'm still a little weak." Bokomon told them.

"It's fine..." Zoe smiled.

"But now that we're all together, I think it's time to talk about our next move," Koji was serious.

"Yeah... only three more keys left, and then we need to face the big baddie." JP was getting pumped up.

"Kujo?" Neemon asked.

"No," Tai interjected, "Someone much, much worse."

**Sorry again it took so long to release this chapter. But the good thing is there's only about four more chapters left give or take one =). What'cha think? Like it? Hate it? Tell me about it and review =D**


	8. One Stands

**I really wanna finish this off soon but lately my creative juices haven't been flowing for this fic... sigh... that's why its been taking me a while to produce new chapters for this (though I do already know the ending) anyway here's the new chapter =)**

Chapter 8 One Stands

"We only have three more days left," Zoe sighed as she laid back on the seat.

"That's it? We still have to find 3 more of those keys... not to mention we have to find out how to use them, and defeat the baddies," JP exclaimed.

"At least we found the location of one of them," Tommy said. Tai was talking to the trailmon to let him know where they wanted to go. The group was heading towards the volcanoes and the day grew warmer the closer they reached their destination. By the time they made it to volcanoes it was scorching.

They got of the train, with Takuya hobbling on his crutches behind them. "Water... I need water..." Takuya groaned. He was drenched with sweat, and he had already taken of his shirt.

Tai sighed, "Maybe it would be better for you if you stayed in the trailmon... maybe with Bokomon and Neemon."

"No, I can keep going," Takuya said.

"But you're injured, you might get even more hurt..."

Takuya stopped the other boy, "Have you ever kept going even though you were injured?"

"Yeah b-"

"Did people tell you not to do something but you did it anyway?"

"Uh...I -"

"Then you can't tell me not to keep going Tai. I'll be just fine." Takuya said stubbornly. Tai had to hand it to him, Takuya was right. Tai let him through as he walked to his friends.

Koji stayed back with Tai. Tai sighed, "I wonder, do you think it's possible for him to digivolve like that?"

"Hmmm... that's an interesting thought," Koji commented, "I bet you're worried that even if he can, his leg might fail him when we need him the most."

Tai grinned, "It's like you're reading my mind Koji... man, sometimes when I'm around you, I think of my old life."

"Don't worry when this is all over, we'll get you back to your friends... old man."

Tai's smile was soft, "Yeah..." then he looked up at a grinning Koji, "Wait a minute, who are you calling old man? I look like I'm your age!"

"'Look'... but remember as you always told us in the beginning, you're not as young as you look, old man." Koji walked off to join the others.

Tai grinned, "Haha, he's just like Matt..." The volcano was active and it was pretty dangerous, one fault and it could errupt. But they had to keep going, the key was somewhere inside of it.

"I don't think I could make it through there alright..." said the warrior of ice hesitantly, " It's really hot... I feel like I'll melt."

Zoe comforted him, "It's okay, I have a feeling I'll have trouble there too."

Tai interrupted, "Then me and Agumon'll go." They all stared at him.

"But you'll die if you touch the magma, you aren't even a digimon," Koichi said.

"Nah, it's alright. I won't die like that," Tai brushed them off, "Let's go," he told Agumon as they ran off ahead of them.

"We shouldn't leave him alone," JP said, "I'll go too."

"Me too," Koji, Koichi and Takuya said in sync.

"Wait Takuya, what about your leg?" Zoe asked him

"No worries if I can't use my leg, I'll just fly," He winked at her and dropped the crutches, "EXECUTE! BEAST SPIRIT EVOLUTION! BURNINGGREYMON!" The winged digimon appeared and flew over to follow the courageous kid.

"Stay here, Zoe and watch over them," Koji commanded, "EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION! LOBOMON!"

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION! BEETLEMON!"

"EXECUTE! SPIRIT EVOLUTION! LOWEEMON!" The three digimon warriors followed BurningGreymon and Tai and Agumon towards the volcano.

* * *

When the legendary warriors arrived at the base of the volcano, a battle was already in progress. Tai was there but Agumon was no where in sight.

BurningGreymon flew over to Tai, "Dude what's going on?"

"Stingmon and Garudamon, and a bunch of vilemon attacked us so WarGreymon's up there," Tai explained.

"WarGreymon?"

"Yeah the one with with the yellow shield wings." BurningGreymon watched as WarGreymon took down a hoard of Vilemon and a green bug digimon at the same time. The tattoo pattern on the green digimon, Stingmon's face disappeared and he fell dedigivolving to a tiny little worm. A giant native bird digimon and even more Vilemon were still battling through. "How'd he manage to get to that strong?"

"Dunno... a couple of days ago he couldn't even maintain his champion stage for too long. But now we feel stronger."

"Watch out!" BurningGreymon called to the mega digimon as more digimon attacked him from behind. He was about to help him out when WarGreymon dealt with the sneaky attackers with a Terra Force.

At that moment, the other three warriors caught up. "What's going on?" Beetlemon asked.

"Don't worry too much about them... let's find the key." Tai told them.

"Well 90% of the time the key is with one of your digimon friends," Loweemon said.

"hmmm..." Tai turned to BurningGreymon, "Takuya, can you get wormmon from wherever he fell?" Then he yelled out to his partner, "WARGREYMON? DOES GARUDAMON HAVE THE KEY?"

"Umm... Tai I can't really check to see right now, I'm kinda busy you know," he replied as he threw off a couple of Vilemon from his back.

"Can you guys help him then?" he asked.

"Right on it," Lobomon said as he, Beetlemon and Loweemon headed to the battlefield.

* * *

Tai sighed in relief. But as he turned around he was confronted by someone he didn't want to see.

"YOU!"

"Sh... now Tai... let's take a walk."

* * *

"Thunder Punch" "LoboKendo" "Shadow Meteor" "Terra Force" The digimon finished off the last of the Vilemon as WarGreymon defeated Garudamon. Her tattoos disappeared and she fell from the sky, as she did, WarGreymon caught her.

"Does she have it?" Beetlemon asked him.

"No."

"Wormmon doesn't have it either!" BurningGreymon said as he regrouped with the others.

"So what do we do now?" Loweemon asked them.

"Where's Tai?" WarGreymon suddenly realized

"Where do you mean where is he? He's right over-" Beetlemon stopped speaking and noticed he was gone.

"Crap..." Lobomon groaned.

"Let's spread out and look for him," Loweemon proposed.

"No need digidestined," A cackling voice called them. It was Kujo. He was grinning, "Tai's just with me and my friends right now having a little meeting."

"Wh-" It was too late Kujo disappeared already.

"No key and Tai's gone... now what are we going to do," Beetlemon signed.

"Wait maybe we might find the key afterall," Loweemon pointed to the side of the volcano where a symbol was etched into it. It looked like a heart.

"The crest of Love," WarGreymon gasped.

BurningGreymon passed the unconscious Wormmon to Lobomon, "Koji, take care of 'im. It really hot there, so WarGreymon and I should take care of it."

"But you're leg?" Lobomon exclaimed.

"I'll be fine, I told you that already." He was already leaving.

"I'll watch over him," WarGreymon promised as he handed them Biyomon, "Just don't let your guard down, they might comeback." The giant mega flew to catch up to the winged beast warrior.

"Why do they keep doing that," Beetlemon groaned.

In the sky, Loweemon saw a cloud of beasts approaching them. "He was right there's more of them coming." They got ready for battle.

"How should we do this?" BurningGreymon asked as they reached their destination.

"You rushed over here without a plan?" WarGreymon said.

"Yeah... well I'm a take action first kinda guy..."

"Hmmm... there's gotta be something here like a switch or a button or something..." They flew around the symbol trying to figure out what is what. "Maybe it's inside the volcano!"

"The volcano? The one that's active and lot's of magma and burning hot?"

"Yeah. Let's go check it out."

"I dunno..."

"Are you a fire digimon or not?"

"I am... but I'm also still human..."

"Well whatever," WarGreymon pulled on BurningGreymon's arm, " It's not gonna kill us so let's go." They dove in to the volcano to see what's inside.

* * *

"Did you seriously have to tie me up?" Tai spat at his captor.

"Oh come on, digidestined of courage, we haven't seen each other in so long, and you don't want to catch up?" he smirked.

"I'd be happier if you were dead."

"Don't be like that"

"How many times do we have to kill you before you get the picture, Myotismon," Tai glared at him with such discontent.

"Tsk, tsk, you see Tai, may I call you Tai? Well anyway, you aren't seeing the bigger picture. It is more than just me and you. Did you know there was more than one world? More than one digiworld? Hmmm..."

"You're thinking of the whole multiple parallel universes aren't you?" Tai asked.

"So you do know about this huh?" Myotismon said, "Well, since you and your digidestined pals continue to ruin my plans, I have decided to venture to other worlds and conquer them... with help of course."

"And that is why you came here," Tai confirmed, "But this world is just rebuilding itself there is not much to conquer."

"Oh no this world is perfect to begin the conquest because of its current conditions, digidestined."

"Then what is the point of capturing me?"

"Oh dear me, of course it's because you are special."

Tai heard shuffling in the shadows, "Is there someone else here?"

"Yes, yes you must meet my partner," he whistled to call them over.

Kujo appeared carrying a sphere and in the sphere was a winged larva. "Lucemon, say hello to the boy who holds the world in his hands."

* * *

"FOUND IT!" WarGreymon called to the other Greymon who was flying above. The mega digimon reached out to grab the key which was dead centre in the lava pool. As soon as his fingers touched the key it glowed.

* * *

Tai began to glow and it baffled everyone around him. The rope which had tied him down fell to the floor. When the glow disappeared, the boy with the brown hair disappeared with it.

* * *

WarGreymon and BurningGreymon returned from the active mountain to find the other three taking away the data from the last of the enemies.

"Did you find it?" Lobomon asked as he digitized the last of the data.

"Yeah," BurningGreymon said happily as he held out the key. He dedigivolved back to Takuya but as he returned he forgot that his leg was hurt and as soon as he landed on the ground, he was in pain.

"Smart Takuya," Beetlemon said. Takuya hopped over to him and used him as support.

"Man I must be more exhausted than I thought."

"I told you to be more careful," Lobomon scolded, "You're still such a kid."

"I'm the same age as you," the goggle head huffed.

"I think maybe you should meet up with Zoe and the others and rest up," The warrior of light said, "I'll give you a ride."

"Well... what about Tai?" Takuya asked, resisting to be on the sidelines.

"We'll start looking for him. We'll meet you back at the station," Loweemon said.

"Yeah, take care," WarGreymon said.

"Slide Evolution! KENDOGARURUMON!" the beast appeared and indicated to the boy to hop on. He did so and they travelled back to the station.

* * *

"I hope they're alright," Tommy sighed as he sat on the bench wagging his legs.

"I'm sure they're fine. They're a strong bunch," Tentomon said.

"Tento you sure are sweet," Zoe said.

"Aww shucks, I wish Izzy complimented me like you," He said blushing.

"How long have they been gone for?" Neemon wondered.

"MM...a couple of hours now," Bokomon replied.

Suddenly a flash of light appeared in front of them, startling them. When the light fade a tall man appeared before them.

"Where... how... what?" Zoe stammered.

"Woah, how'd I get here?" The man said, quite confused.

"We want to ask that question too," Bokomon said

"Oh hi guys."

"Do we know you?" Tommy asked

"He looks a lot like Tai," Neemon commented.

"He is Tai," Tentomon explained.

"Yup, it's definitely me," This Tai looked like he was in his late twenties. His hair was a cut and was a lot shorter than before.

"How'd you get here?" Zoe asked

"And in such style I might add," Tentomon chipped in.

"Dunno, I was captured by the enemy in one minute all tied up, and now I'm here, a little more grown up."

"Oh look Koji's coming back," Tommy exclaimed.

They all watched as KendoGarurumon flew by and stopped just in front of them. Takuya hopped off as Tommy immediately passed him the crutch he was using earlier.

"Thanks," Takuya said and then he saw Tai, "Umm... hi?"

"Takuya it's me Tai," the man said.

"Oh really... where'd you go? Kujo told us he took you."

"I escaped... somehow."

"Thank god you're safe," KendoGarurumon said, "That saves us time, I'll go track down the others."

He went off. To find them.

"So tell us what happened," Takuya was extremely curious.

"Well..." Tai was stopped by a rumbling.

"It wasn't so smart to escape," Cackled Kujo as he appeared. Behind him were the two digimon they all didn't want to see.

"Tai, why oh why did you leave, you had to know we'd find you right away," Myotismon sighed, giving a sinister smirk.

"Guys, this is not good..." Zoe said, getting ready to battle.

**Sorry for the long wait. The climax is on I hope you like it.**


	9. The Final Keys

Chapter 9 The Final Keys

"Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution! ZEPHYRMON!"

"Execute! Beast Spirit Evolution! KORIKAKUMON!"

"Tai, Takuya, we'll hold'em off for now," KendoGarururumon said.

"In those forms you have no chance!" Takuya argued with him. "We didn't make a dent on Lucemon like that and you expect me to just sit and wait! Hell no!"

Zoe was worried, "You still look exhausted, Takuya, We've got to do this, at least until the others arrive."

KendoGarurumon dedigivolved. "Execute! Fusion Evolution! BEOWOLFMON!" He turned to his opponents and took charge.

"Koji YOU IDIOT!" Takuya screamed as he took out his own D-tector.

But Tai grabbed his arm. "Takuya now's not the time for you to that." He started to pull the boy away.

"Lemme go! Lemme go!"

"No," Tai said firmly. He pulled him away as Takuya watched his friends helplessly fight the two monsters. The villain known as Myotismon and the mega levelled Lucemon and his monstrous carrier.

"... there are only two of them there... Where's ..." Takuya wondered.h

Tai continued to pull, "Takuya, we've got to go... the last two, one of them is this way." He pointed to the forested area behind the train station.

"MY LEG!" Takuya wince in pain as his leg slammed hard on the cement.

"Sorry," Tai threw the boy over his shoulder, "This is soooo much better than a kid's body," He commented on his new adult form.

Tai ran through the forest following the points on his digivice. "Takuya, did you guys get that key from the volcano?"

Takuya was trying to hold his stomach, a little queezy from being carried like that. "Umm... yeah... it's with me..." He shakily took out the key from his pocket.

Tai took it with his free hand and attatched it to the thread with the rest. "Thanks." He continued running through the forest until they landed upon a clearing with a large oak tree in the middle. Tai carefully put down the injured boy.

There was a symbol carved unto the tree. Tai smiled, "We found it."

"Which one?" Takuya asked.

"Light," Tai told him as he traced his finger around the flower-like symbol engraved into the bark. It began to glow it opened a hole to the inside, revealing the tree to be hollow.

"Tai, hurry and get it."

"I know, I know..." Tai reached out his arm through the hole and tried to feel for the key. After a minute, he found it. "Yes, got it!" The pink key glimmered in his hand as he attatched it with the others. "K, Let's go now. The last one's not far from here." Tai grabbed the boy and threw him over his shoulder again.

"It's really convenient that they're all around the same area," Takuya commented as Tai began running again.

"Yeah, lucky us..." Tai said a little restrained. He held out his digivice to double-check his location. They headed out of the forest, at an amazing speed for a human.

Five minutes of running later, a shadow hovered over their heads. Without trying to get even more sick than he was, Takuya looked up to find WarGreymon flying above them.

"Tai! It's WarGreymon!" Takuya told him happily.

Tai stopped running and looked up, "Hey buddy you found us!" he grinned.

"Need a hand?" WarGreymon asked, landing beside them

"Yeah this guys getting heavy," Tai joked as he gently got Takuya to the ground.

"Thank heavens you're safe Tai, we've been looking everywhere for you." his partner said

"No worries, I'm fine," The older digidestined said.

"Where are the others?" Takuya asked, holding onto Tai for support.

"They went to help Koji and the rest distract the big baddies while you guys look for the last of the keys."

"That's great," Tai said.

"I hope they're alright though," Takuya was a little worried, "It took the strength of all of us together just to stop Lucemon the first time. But now there's that vampire dude too."

"Myotismon," Tai corrected, "They'll be fine in the meantime, but we've got to get moving. I think it might be faster if we go through the air." He turned to his loyal partner, "Think you can handle the both of us buddy?"

"Well you're a bit bigger than I'm used too but I think I'll be fine," WarGreymon said. Tai helped Takuya on the digimon first before hopping on himself.

"We've got to head towards that big snowy mountain overthere!" Tai explained.

"That was close to here?" Takuya commented. It was probably a good hour away if they had continued on foot.

WarGreymon sped towards the mountain and reached the place in no time at all.

"It's at the peak," Tai instructed as they began to go higher. It was getting really cold and a massive snow storm was forming. The two put on their goggles to avoid the ice and snow from hitting their eyes.

The mega digimon landed at the highest point of the mountain.

"It's f-freezing," Takuya shivered as he tried to warm his hands with his breath.

"Ye-yeah" Tai agreed rubbing his arms against the cold. "C-can you find the symbol?"

Takuya was still on WarGreymon's back so he was able to see a little more. "What's it look like?"

"It should be the symbol for Hope. It looks like a ribbon, like the ones you'd get for winning a contest. The top part kinda looks like a sun"

"I can't see anything but snow! Are you sure this is the place?"

"My digivice is telling me we're practically standing on the point. See anything WarGreymon?"

"Nope, nadda..." The digimon said as his eyes scanned the area. He looked down at his partner and then his eyes widened. "Oh wait it's right there!"

Tai looked to what his partner was staring at. Beneath him, Where his footprint lay there was the crest of Hope, only an inch in diameter. The symbol was so tiny, if they were not lucky they would have missed it. Tai tried to touch it and found that it wasn't simply a symbol etched in the ground. It was attatched to something bigger, something made of stone. He huffed as he tried to tug on it.

As the snow was brushed away, the stone grew out more and more, taking the shape of something. "WarGreymon can you lend me a hand?"

"Sure thing,Tai," the digimon said as he helped clear the snow from ground. Tai gasped as he saw what they had unearthed: a life-size stone statue of Angemon. But the statue was strange in itself. The trio could feel the intensity in the statue as he struggled against some unknown entity.

There were only two things which were not stone grey. The first was the crest of hope which they had uncovered earlier which was on his shoulder plate. It was the same golden colour as what the shoulder plate would have been if, the statue was the real thing. The second was the black tattoos which scrawled across the right side of his face, down his right arm, across his chest, and on his left leg. It was the most enveloped intricate tattoo yet. But one thing was certain it was definitely like the others.

"This looks real," Takuya awed at the statue.

WarGreymon was puzzled, "Something's wrong... I don't... I don't think this is a statue of an Angemon..."

"This IS a real Angemon!" Tai and Takuya realized.

"Shit..." Tai cussed.

"Maybe all you need to do is touch the crest like you did with the tree," Takuya suggested.

Tai attempted to press on the symbol on Angemon's shoulder plate but nothing happened.

"Well that was worth a shot..." he sighed.

"Don't give up so easily though, Tai," WarGreymon said.

"I'm not... I just need to think for a moment." Tai hunched over the sideways statue of the digimon and began analyzing it.

"Tai, remember all the way back when we faced Piedmon?" WarGreymon suddenly exclaimed.

"Yeah I remember I had a sudden urge to hold keys… well that was because we were turned into keychai… wait a second" a lightbulb flashed in his head as he turned to Takuya. "How can we contact Seraphimon?"

"The best way would be through our D-tectors" Takuya said

"Tell him to come here immediately!"

"Okay," Takuya obeyed. Soon enough Seraphimon came.

"Tai, how may I can I help you?" Seraphimon asked the digidestined.

"Can you heal this Angemon using your MagnaAntidote?" Tai queried.

Takuya wondered, "Wasn't that the move used to heal you when you had that fever?"

Tai nodded, "Yeah but it doesn't just cure fevers, when I was younger it also reversed a spell cast by an evil digimon who turned me and my friends into keychains." Tai turned to Seraphimon again, "So can you please help my friend?"

"Of course," Seraphimon smiled and dedigivolved to MagnaAngemon.

"WarGreymon you ready? Once Angemon's not stone you have to be ready to strike the tats" Tai explained. WarGreymon nodded.

"MagnaAntidote" MangaAngemon announced as a multicoloured ray emerged from him and hit the stone angel. Slowly they grey colour began to fade.

Angemon's fingers twitched as he gasped for air. The tattoos were still on him so WarGreymon quickly made impact on the tattoos shattering it to data however it simultaneously knocked Angemon out.

"hehehe… remind me not to get on WarGreymon's bad side," Takuya commented.

Tai walked up to Angemon, "Angemon, are you alright? It's me Tai!" Angemon stirred to consciousness.

Still fuzzy, Angemon slowly stood up, "Tai? What's going on?" WarGreymon helped him up.

"Well that's a long story but basically we're in another dimension and Myotismon's at it again," The mega digimon explained.

"That old vamp doesn't know when to quit." Angemon chuckled he looked around and saw Takuya and MagnaAngemon. "I see me…" he said blankly

"How do you do?" MagnaAngemon held out his hand. Angemon shook it.

"A little confused and my back is killing me."

"Sorry about that." WarGreymon apologized.

"Hey Angemon, do you by chance happen to have a key?" Takuya asked getting straight to the point.

"You mean this?" The angel opened his fisted hand to reveal a golden key with the symbol of hope etched on.

"Yes exactly!" Tai held out his hand and Angemon gave it to him. The key had a warm glow. He attached the key along with the others.

"Alright we have all the keys… now what?" Takuya wondered.

"I wonder indeed" said a not-so friendly voice from behind.

"Kujo… what now!" Takuya said annoyed.

"Oh you know the same old same old… like destroying you digidestined once and for all."

"Hah like you could ever defeat us… how about this if you take off that stupid get-up you're wearing then maybe we might fight you," Takuya taunted.

"Go back where you came from," WarGreymon agreed.

"Something's not right!" Tai shouted. Everyone turned to look at the digidestined. "The keys… the keys aren't working at all… it should have started glowing or something once they were together… but nothing." Tai stomped up closer to Kujo. "What did you do?"

"Why do you think this has anything to do with me?" Kujo acted innocently.

"Because the villain always has something behind his back."

"My back? Hmmm…. All that's behind my back is this little lady over here." Suddenly six wings appeared from behind him.

"Angewomon!" Angemon cried. Angewomon was tattooed on her neck, arms and legs they all connected to a central tattoo on her chest. They looked like chains on the angel.

"My dear Angewomon would you mind destroying those twerps down there," Kujo was snide. Angemon prepared her bow for attack. An arrow began to form. MagnaAngemon acted swiftly and flew to the female angel. He grabbed hold of her arms in restraint, causing her to drop her weapon.

"Angemon, hit her now!"

"But what's going on!" Angemon demanded.

"Now's not the time for questions attack!" The Ultimate-level digimon commanded as he struggled against Angewomon's resistance"

"Hand of Fate!" Angemon attacked his best friend and hit her square on the chest. The black tattoos fade and she fell limp.

"Well that was a waste of five minutes for me." Kujo sighed. He grabbed his sword and jumped aiming square for Tai. Tai ducked out of the way but was grazed by the blade. Kujo continued to swipe at the digidestined as he continued to dodge.

"Tai!" WarGreymon and Takuya said in unison. They rushed (Takuya limped actually) to help their friend however they were forced away by a newly formed barrier.

"This fight is for Tai and Tai alone." Kujo told the frantic friends. In that moment's distraction Tai aimed straight for the gut. Kujo bounced back.

"Why are you doing this?" Tai demanded to know.

"Tai, Tai, Tai… why can't this simply be because I want to destroy you?"

"What do you even have against me? I've never met you in my life."

Kujo began to laugh hard.

"What's so funny?"

"Funny? OH the fact that you do know me… I've been beside you all along." He answered cryptically.

Tai was furious. It was not the answer he was looking for. "Fight me then like a man. No weapons."

"Fine fine." Kujo dropped his sword and cuffed his fists. Tai took the first swipe. He missed there was a back and forth motion of attacks between the two men. They were both evenly matched.

Tai punched but missed his opponent's face instead grabbing his shirt, ripping it from contact. A gold chain flew out from beneath the shirt revealing a key.

The symbol of Light was clearly visible on the head.

"You hid a fake for us to find?" Tai realized.

Kujo smirked. "Well, I guess it wasn't too smart of me to leave the real key on my person."

Tai noticed something else as well. Against the bare of Kujo's exposed chest, black tattoos were apparent.

"You really are something else huh Tai." Kujo laughed, "Let's see if you can take this key away from me to save your precious friends."

"Bring it on" Tai exclaimed as he charged toward him.

**So Chapter 9's finally out after like what? 5 months? Really sorry about that but now that it is the holidays I wanted to give you all a little New Years present: IE the conclusion of this tale. Let's move forward to the next chapter alright =)**


	10. These Eight Lights

**Chapter 10 These Eight Lights**

"This is just a massacre!" Korikakumon exclaimed, breathing quite heavily. Zoe and JP had collapsed from exhaustion. JagerLoweemon and Beowulfmon continued to fight against their foes. "We need help…" Korikakumon said as a red flash caused him to faint.

* * *

Tai and Kujo both staggered from a mutual collision in their fight. They had been fighting for a good while, neither one relenting. They were both panting.

"Did you see that?" Takuya asked the digimon beside him.

"See what?" Angemon asked him. Angewomon had dedigivolved to Gatomon but was resting beside him.

"It's just I saw something weird when they slammed into each other," Takuya said, but paused, "Maybe it was just my imagination." MagnaAngemon looked concerned however.

"I don't think it was just your imagination."

"Give it up, Tai!" Kujo huffed, wiping away the blood from his lips.

"Maybe it's time you should give up the act!" Tai cried, and he jumped quickly, not giving any chance of a reaction for Kujo. He pushed his opponent down hard. In the same swift moment he grabbed the chain holding the real Key of Light. It began to glow a soft pink with his touch.

The other seven keys began to glow as well. The shield seperating Tai with his friends fell and they flocked to the man. The eight keys together again began to hum. As if they had minds of their own, the keys all began to float around the group and with a flash they were gone from the place.

* * *

The fighting between Beowulfmon, JagerLoweemon and the two villains was interrupted by a heavy flash of light. The Legendary warriors who were out of commission chose that moment to wake, seeing the light.

"What is this now?" a newly digivolved Malomyotismon wondered.

The light began to fade away to reveal the intruders.

"Takuya! Tai!" Tommy cried out smiling. The two with their digimon friends were there standing side by side. The keys were still floating around them.

"How'd we get here?" Takuya asked.

"The keys took us here," Tai said.

"You got all eight of 'em?" JP asked happily. Though the three warriors were back to being human they felt a lot better than before. Tai nodded.

"My leg... its completely healed!" Takuya said happily.

"What a sweet turn of events," Malomyotismon said as a reminder of his presence. "Lucemon my friend, do you mind destroying this little reunion."

Lucemon prepared to attack but was blocked by the efforts of Ophanimon and Cherubimon who knocked the creature out momentarily. The two Celestial digimon were joined by the digimon that were in their care.

"We felt an urge to come here," Gabumon explained. The rest nodded in agreement.

The keys were hovering again glowing even brighter. The force of energy knocked Takuya, Angemon, Gatomon, and MagnaAngemon away. MagnaAngemon rebounded fast however and digivolved back to Seraphimon. He took this opportunity to distract Malomyotismon.

"It's time," Biyomon chirped.

"Time? What's it time for?" Zoe's question was immediately answered by a thumping sound.

The sound of heartbeats became loud and apparent. Tai turned around to see Kujo breathing heavily as if he had no oxygen around him. Through his ripped clothes the black tattoos were pulsating heavily. Tai moved closer to the man.

"Stop Tai! You don't know what'll do," WarGreymon warned.

Tai was in a state of trance, "It'll be okay," he said soothingly. Tai removed all the head coverings around Kujo's face and gasped a little. But he relaxed with an understanding. "So this is it huh?" He turned to everyone his face smiling. "Everyone... it's been a blast but I've got to go now."

Everyone, except for the Celestial Beings' faces were in a shock.

"What do you mean you have to go?" Takuya asked.

"I mean I'm the key to helping you all win this final fight," Tai said still smiling. "First of all I gotta help old Kujo here. Though I probably shouldn't say his name is Kujo anymore." Tai reached down and touched Kujo's chest. As he did the tattoos began to transfer over from one to the other. The tattoos covered him all over.

"How'd you... what'd you..." Beowulfmon was in awe.

"No time for that now, you warriors need to transform into Susanoomon," Tai ordered. The tattoos were pulsating.

"But..." JagerLoweemon was about to say but Tai cut him short.

"Just do it, trust me."

Reluctantly the two remaining digimon in action dedigivolved. The six legendary warriors joined together. "Execute Ancient Spirit Evolution! SUSANOOMON!"

"Perfect," Tai said still smiling. He turned to the Adventure digimon. "Are you all ready?"

They all nodded. He reached out to grab Kujo's hand. The one known as Kujo had regained consciousness. The group gasped.

"How... how is there two Tais?" Susanoomon was shocked.

"I'll tell you as soon as the battle is over," Tai said. He turned to the Tai who was known as Kujo, "Are you okay Tai?"

"I feel strange, what happened to me?" the Kujo-Tai asked.

"It's a long story... but for now I need you to control the eight keys." Tai told him. "You can feel them in your very soul can you not?"

"Yes they are very familiar..." Kujo-Tai nodded.

"Great," Tai touched Kujo-Tai's forehead and a small shock occurred between the two.

Kujo-Tai knew what came next. He turned to Susanoomon, "Now listen here digidestined. Once I activate the power of the keys there is only one shot left of destroying these two evil digimon. One shot only."

"Thanks for putting the pressure on us."

He made a couple of hand gestures. (The Celestial Digimon fell.) The keys began to move into formation around the tattooed Tai. (Lucemon and Malomyotismon began to charge.) All eight keys turned at once and a swirl of black light enveloped the area. Tattooed Tai was gone. In his place was a ball of energy with different coloured energies swirling within it.

"It's time guys," Tai said sadly, he knew what was coming next. The adventure digimon nodded together they gave up their energy to the ball. As they did and all their energy was taken they became data. Tai, though eyes were streaked, handled the ball of energy. He turned to Susanoomon. "Take it now, this was their sacrifice so we can finally rid the digital world of those two digimon." He pushed the ball and it floated towards the Ancient Warrior. And then in was absorbed.

"I can feel it," Zoe's consciousness said.

"This power is amazing," Tommy's soul exclaimed.

"It's the power of the digidestined," JP was awed.

"Not just that but the power of an entire digital world," Koichi breathed.

"Let's use it," Koji began

"To win," Takuya announced.

Susanoomon raised his hand in the air. The energy was intense. "HEAVEN'S THUNDER"

"Ahh... crap," Malomyotismon cursed. But it was over.

"FRACTAL CODE DIGITIZE!" The data of the two evil digimon were taken indefinitely.


	11. Farewell

**Chapter 11 Farewell**

The battle was finally over. Susanoomon dedigivolved back to the six tweens. The Three Celestial Digimon, and Neemon rushed to the heroes.

"You did it!" Neemon cheered.

"Congrats," Tai said with a grin on his face. Bokomon was standing with him.

Takuya stood up, though he was exhausted, he was determined, "Kujo or Tai or whoever you are... Tell us exactly what was going on with you."

Bokomon looked up at him sadly and he nodded back, "Is it okay if I told you?"

Koji and the others were surprised, "YOU KNEW!"

"I'm sorry, the other Tai made me swear not to tell."

"Children, please do not fight amongst yourselves. Let Tai and Bokomon tell you," Ophanimon tried to calm them down before another battle arose.

"It's a little complicated but the Tai that was on the travels with you was not the real Tai. Well he was in memories but mostly he was the _power."_ Everyone's eyes were quite quizzical. Bokomon sighed as his explanation wasn't clear.

Tai cleared his throat. "Let me start from the beginning. First of all, the Tai that was with you was only a part of me. When I was travelling the Earth a long time ago, I came across this _power_. I don't know exactly what it is called but in it I could feel all of my friends and their powers. The eight crests: Courage, Friendship, Love, Reliability, Sincerity, Knowledge, Light, and Hope; they were the pillars that kept my own digital world safe. But my digital world is gone now. So these powers joined together to form the power that you used earlier. That power was the power of every single thing in the digital world I knew.

"When Malomyotismon ripped time and space to enter this digital world my digimon friends and I were awaken one last time to help you we travelled however the power overcame me and was corrupted. In order to preserve the pure power I split myself into different parts until we entered your world and the power could be purified. I was able to purify the power thanks to Seraphimon here."

"When you had that fever?" Zoe assumed.

"Yes that fever was more than just a typical fever, it was the evil side of the power emerging."

"Why didn't you tell all of us this from the beginning?" Koji wanted to know.

"Because I didn't know it fully when we first met. I didn't even get the full picture when I touched the book of knowledge. There were parts of the story in my mind missing. The only time I knew everything was when the two me's fought."

Everyone understood. However Koichi had a puzzled expression. Slowly he spoke up, "Tai, when you said you were awaken... what exactly does it mean?"

"It means his soul was awaken. Tai has been dead on his Earth for a long time," Bokomon said sadly.

Tai nodded and stood up. He glowed softly and one by one he changed form to each and every age they had seen him in, and more so to a very old man but returned once more to the twenty year old version of himself.

"No..." Takuya's eyes widened. Zoe and Tommy began to tear up. JP and Koji looked distraught. Koichi was somber.

Tai looked at them, "Hey now cheer up guys. It's not like it happened right now. I've been dead for a long time now. I'm probably as old as your great-great-grandparents." He tried to cheer them up. Then he looked at the sky, his smile brightened. "When I died, I promised to look after all the digital worlds, and that's what I'm doing now. You digidestined, you brought back so many memories of when I was your age. It's been great." He sighed but still had that grin on his face. He glowed, "Well I guess it's time to say farewell. Lot's of things to do and my friends are waiting." His body began to digitize like snowflakes blowing in the wind.

"Bye!" Tommy cried out.

"We'll never forget you!" Zoe said tearfully

"See you Tai!" JP called

"So long," said Koichi.

"Goodbye," Koji said.

Takuya cried out, "This isn't goodbye. We'll meet again one day."

Tai laughed, "Yeah if you ever need me again just call."

The digimon waved goodbye. Tai's smile was the last thing he left on the world.

* * *

"Goodbye everybody," The six warriors were on a Trailmon heading home. They were saying farewell to Seraphimon, Ophanimon, Cherubimon, Neemon, and Bokomon.

"Thank you digidestined for saving our world once again," Ophanimon said.

"Bye bye" Neemon sniffled.

The Trailmon began to move. The digidestined all sat together. Tired and exhausted the saviours of the digital world were heading home.

There was peace once more

**THE END**

**Thank you all for reading this story. I'm sorry about the super long wait but I hope you liked the ending. Please feel free to review. Thank you for all the feed back from the past couple of years and I hope 2011 will be filled with great things =) Happy New Year.**


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